


Serendipity

by khd14



Category: Benedict Cumberbatch - Fandom, British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Sherlock (TV) RPF
Genre: Actors, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Elaborate Vacations, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, London, Not Beta Read, RPF, Slow Build, Smut, Successful Careers, Surgeons, fashion - Freeform, independent woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-17
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-16 01:05:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 30,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1325977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khd14/pseuds/khd14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
<a href="http://s1064.photobucket.com/user/khdent/media/794b4c2b-0ce7-43f2-854b-b1deea41ee85_zps7b34529e.jpg.html"><img/></a>
</p><p>COMPLETED // Two strangers are on a quest to find one another after a brief encounter on a train.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors!

**Chapter One**

 

Benedict lifted his eyes from the script in his hands, the tall brunette captivating his existence as soon as she made her way onto the empty train. She sat across from him and tucked her legs underneath her, taking a book from her messenger bag.

He searched his mind for the words he would say to her, yet nothing came. His heart pounded as he glanced over at her from underneath his hat, his green eyes taking in every aspect of her face. Her sparkling blue eyes trailed the pages of the book she held in her hands; her perfectly plump pink lips were pursed together tightly, fully engrossed in her book; her lean fingers tracing the edge of the book lightly. She glanced up and looked around her, presumably making sure she hadn’t missed her stop, and her eyes trailed directly in front of her.

_Oh my God, she’s going to catch me staring at her, look away, fool, look away!_ His thoughts pounded in his head. Catching his gaze, she smiled at him, perfect little dimples manifesting on her cheeks. There was no way he could have taken his eyes off of her. There was something about her - the way she moved; the way she turned the pages of her book; the way she curled up so nonchalantly on the train. He was absolutely fascinated by the beauty in front of him.

He desperately wanted to say something to her, yet his mind still wasn’t cooperating this early in the morning. His heart sunk as the train slowed for the upcoming stop, he had missed his opportunity. She stood up, placing her messenger bag across her body, and turned towards him slightly.

“Have a lovely morning,” She said, smiling at him softly as she began to stroll off the train.

It took him a few seconds to respond, as his brain couldn’t process what was going on around him. Her accent was heavenly. Part French, part British. “Um, yes, yes, you too! Thank you!” She probably didn’t hear you.

She turned as the doors closed behind her, catching his gaze for the last time. His eyes remained locked on hers, and a few seconds later the train sped off, the beauty now behind him.

_Way to go, Ben, too slow for this one, eh?_ His thoughts continued to degrade his lack of actions. He continued reading his script from where he previously left off, yet he couldn’t concentrate as easily as before. No woman has ever had such a profound impact on him as to leave him completely speechless. He shook his head in an effort to rid him of her in his thoughts. _Get it together. You have other things your mind needs to be on._

 

_*_

 

Benedict sat the porcelain cup down on its saucer softly, letting the warm liquid soothe his soul on this rainy, bone chilling day in London. He opened his book up from beside him and began concentrating on the words again, letting his mind relax and attempting to get lost completely in the story in front of him.

She ran into the coffee shop quickly, her gray wellies squeaking quietly as she made her way to the counter.

"What can I get for you, dear?"

“A chamomile tea, to go, please.” Her voice was quiet, as to not want to disturb the patrons in the shop.

“Absolutely,” The lady behind the counter smiled at her sweetly, in preparation of her tea.

She looked around the shop, her hands shoved in the pockets of her black Burberry rain coat. There were only a few patrons this morning, a young woman, presumably in university, working on her laptop; a young mother with a sleeping child in her arms; a gray haired gentleman sipping on a hot tea; and a dark haired man leaning over a book, his long and lean fingers gripping the tea cup in his hands.

She thought she might have recognized him from somewhere, but shrugged off the thought, as it was practically impossible for her to remember everyone she’s ever seen. She paid for her tea and left quickly, running behind on her morning schedule.

He turned his head quickly, as he felt someone looking at him from inside the shop, but with his head turned, he saw no one, except the door to the shop being swaying shut. He put the porcelain cup back down on its saucer, again, and his eyes wandered out onto the London streets, where he was overlooking from his table. His eyes caught a glimpse of a brunette walking across the street, a hot tea in her hand.

He glanced back down to his book to continue reading but his eyes shot back up to this beauty, as she was the one from the tube last week. He watched her from the comfort of his table. Her long, deep brown hair was curly, falling down her back; her lean fingers wrapped around the open umbrella; and despite the rain falling around her and the chill in the air, the smile on her face was beautiful and contagious.

“Care for some more tea, dear?” The woman asked him, again, watching his gaze on the woman who just came into her shop.

He turned towards her, startled. “I’m so sorry!” He began to apologize profusely.

“Oh, it’s just fine, dear. More tea?” She smiled at him.

“Yes, please.” He lost sight of the brunette as she turned down a different street heading west. His eyes darted back over to his book.

She poured his tea for him, giving him a few extra biscuits as he looked back down the street, just once, to see if he could catch another glimpse of her.

He smiled up at the woman beside him. “Thank you,” He said, his voice shaky. He sat his elbows on the table, clasping his hands in front of him. This just had to be a coincidence.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any grammatical errors. Suggestions are always welcome.

**Chapter Two**

Violet pulled her coat around her body tightly, the weather unfortunately remaining the same since she last stepped out of the hospital.  She took the stairs that led down to the tube platform, eager to catch her train and arrive home. She was exhausted and needed sleep - and, to be honest, a hot shower. Her days at the hospital were becoming more frequent, and although she wasn't going to complain, the 18+ hour shifts were slowly tearing her down, mentally and physically.

As she was glancing around and studying the people heading to and from the station, a trait she had inherited from her father, her eyes landed upon a man, attempting to blend in with the crowd. She furrowed her brows, staring at the man walking up on the stairs across from her, the familiarity sparking an interest.

He was looking down on his phone, earphones in his ears, presumably in a world of his own. He was a beautiful man, that she couldn’t deny. His cheekbones were high and defined his face, which was long, slender and beautiful; he ran a hand through his dark brown wavy hair and took a hat from the pocket of his pullover, pulling it down over his brow tightly. She watched him for a moment until he was past her, the curiosity still embedded in her mind. She knocked the thought aside, instead choosing to focus on reality.

Thirty minutes later, she walked into the reception room of her Covent Garden penthouse flat and exhaustively threw her bag onto the couch in the lounge, taking in the spotless atmosphere. She headed into the kitchen, the bags from the quick trip to the market weighing heavily in her hands, and sat them on the counter. She chose to ignore her mobile phone, which continued to beep with new messages, and the post sitting on the counter in front of her in a neat stack.

_Thank you, mum._ She muttered to herself, smiling at the generosity of her mother. A perfectly cleaned flat, the post brought in, freshly laundered clothing. There was no way she could ever truly pay her mother back for the unselfish gifts she had given all of her children.

She looked around and quickly put away the groceries in the bags, the anxiety of her lunch date still hanging over her head grudgingly. She shook her head in an attempt to push out the thoughts, the heartbreak, the untrustworthy nature of the male species. She finished her work in the kitchen and headed towards the master bedroom, taking off her coat, shoes, and scarf and hanging them up in the bedroom cupboard.

She sat down on the edge of the chair in front of the floor to ceiling window and stared out across the vast city of London, placing her head into her open hands. All she wanted to do was to forget the words that were spoken to her earlier this afternoon.

_‘You work too much, Violet. Do you realize how selfish that is? I want to see you, I want to spend time with you, and you choose your career over me? I can't deal with this relationship anymore. I need someone who's going to always be there for me, and I know you won't.' He sighed and continued. 'You answer every single call from that hospital. You take every single surgery that they'll give you. Enough is enough, Violet. I'm done.'_

The words, pressing deep into her mind, stung more than she thought they would. She hoped they would just roll off her back, and not give the issue anymore attention than it needed. Obviously, it wasn't working.

She had been dreading the afternoon for a few weeks, knowing exactly what would happen. It always ended up this way, because no one understood. She worked hard, loved what she did, and would do anything for any of her patients, so why is she being punished for working hard, striving for a perfect medical career? Fairness wasn’t an option anymore. It was something she came to terms with a long time ago. Life wasn't fair, and for once, she was having to learn the hard way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**Chapter Three**

“Benedict! It’s wonderful to see you!” Tom threw his arm around Benedict and greeted him properly, pure excitement in both of their voices.

“It has been a while, hasn’t it, Tom? Here, take a seat, we'll order a pint.” Ben pointed to the chair across from him at a table in the back of the pub.

They spoke about their lives, their careers, new and old scripts. Old friends enjoying the company of one another over a light lunch and a few pints of beer.

Benedict’s sparkling green eyes glanced around the street outside of the window beside them.

“What are you looking for?” Tom asked him, a smile on his face. “Or shall I say, whom are you looking for?” There was a mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes.

“Oh,” Benedict started, throwing the idea away in his mind. “nothing. It’s absolutely nothing.”

Tom wasn’t convinced. He pursed his lips, staring at him until Ben finally spoke again. “Come on, Ben. Don’t be shy!”

“Do you believe in fate?” Benedict’s question caught him off guard.

“Fate?” He repeated, his brows furrowing together.

“Yes. Fate.” Ben combed his fingers through his dark hair and rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn’t stop thinking about that certain brunette.

“Um, well,” Tom started, his eyebrows raising, a smirk on his face, “I believe that everything happens for a reason, if that’s what you mean. If it’s the right time in our lives for a certain circumstance to happen, then certain paths will cross and we’ll be brought to it. Otherwise, if it’s forced, it may not turn out to how we need it.”

Ben nodded his head in agreement, his hands gripping his beer. “There’s this circumstance, so to speak, that’s been happening, and I just can’t seem to get it off my mind.”

“Then tell me about it.”

Ben sighed heavily. "This was going to sound outlandish, petty. Anyway. A few weeks ago, I was on the tube early one morning, and I saw this woman. She was absolutely beautiful - everything about her. Sparkling blue eyes, gorgeous dark brown hair, perfect cheekbones.”

Tom rolled his eyes. “This coming from the zygoma king himself? She must have been splendid, Benedict. What did you say to her?”

“That’s the thing,” Ben said, taking another sip of beer, “everything sort of just turned to mush. I couldn’t say anything. Hell, I couldn’t even think of anything to say!”

“You?” Tom mocked. “You couldn’t say anything to her? Rubbish.”

Ben shook his head. “No, honestly, I couldn’t say anything to her. She was absolutely mesmerizing. So she stands up to get off at her stop, and just about as she walks off, she turns to me and says, ‘have a lovely morning’. And I could barely respond before the doors closed and she was gone.”

Tom laughed. “What did you say to her?”

“Oh, I mumbled something about ‘yes, thank you, you too’, but I believe I was talking to myself at that point. So the next week, I’m sitting down at Browns having a cup of tea, warming up a bit from the awful weather outside. I’m reading my book, minding my own business. I see her again, out the window, walking away from Browns with a tea in her hands. The waitress noticed me staring at her and told me that she was just in there, feet from me, and I didn’t even notice!”

Tom’s eyebrows rose and Benedict continued.

“So, I’m watching her cross the street away from me, and I was just mesmerized by her, yet again. The way she walked, with so much confidence; the way her smile shone through the cloudy skies and rain drops; and the way she dresses - spectacular.”

“Is there more?” Tom inquired, leaning closer to the table.

“Yesterday. I was coming up from the tube, and I saw her, walking down to the platform. It was literally for a split second. I looked up from my phone, and her eyes were on me. I knew it was her, as I don’t think I can ever forget that face.” Ben leaned back in his chair.

“Wow.” Tom started, putting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together, “That is a pretty spectacular occurrence, Benedict. She could be no one. She could be your next date. She could be the mother of your future children for all you know. And to think about what a story that could be! You never really know when you’ll see her again, or if you’ll ever see her again, really. How exciting!”

Benedict smiled. “I certainly hope I’ll see her again. Every time I looked at her, all these romantic feelings came about. Feelings that I haven’t had since, you know, so it’s just a little strange.”

“Strange? How so?” Tom crossed his arms across his chest.

“Well, not so much strange, but surprising. I’ve always said I wanted a family, and now that I’m realizing, hey, maybe I don’t need one right now, maybe I can wait, I see someone and these feelings are brought back to life.”

“Patience, Benedict. I know it’s not a trait that you’re used to, but in this case, I have a feeling you’re going to need it. The fact that she’s been popping up around you without any interaction between the two of you… It’s interesting. What a story this would make!”

Benedict nodded silently, knowing patience had never been his strong suit. Tom always seemed to have a reassuring quality about him that made him slow down and look at the situation properly, rather than jumping in feet first like he always wanted to. He had to remind himself that his schedule was so busy that he knew he wouldn't be able to give her the time that she nor him needed. All he knew was that he was looking forward to the next occurrence, silently hoping that indeed, he would see her again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**Chapter Four**

Violet glanced over herself in the cab, putting the finishing touches on her makeup. She applied the almost nude lipstick to her lips and a light rose blush to her cheeks gingerly, giving her the little color that she needed to look alive and healthy. Her hands grazed over her long sleeved plum lace dress, pulling it farther down on her thighs, the brisk weather of December swirling around the outside environment.

She arrived to the event late, of course, and immediately went to drop her coat off at the coat check. She had barely gotten her ticket and turned around when her older brother Landon came over and embraced her softly.

“You made it!” He exclaimed, taking her arm in his. "This dress turned out beautiful. My best design yet!"

She chuckled. "Yes, Landon, it's gorgeous, although a tad short," She attempted to pull it down again past her taut thighs.

"Oh, please. You look beautiful, Violet. Let's say hello to mum and then we'll have a few drinks." He led her upstairs to their mother, famed clothing designer Veronica Whitfield.

“Darling, you made it!” Veronica embraced her daughter tightly, glancing down at the dress. “Landon, this dress, I love it. Let's meet on Monday to discuss the possibility of producing it." Veronica took a hold of Violets hands and brought her attention to her youngest daughter. “You look stunning, Violet. Where’s Matt? Was he able to join you tonight?”

Violet swallowed the lump in her throat and did the only thing she could think of: Make an excuse. “No, he wasn’t able to make it,” Her voice wavered.

“I’m so sorry to hear that, love. You two go find your friends and have a good time,”

Landon pulled Violet away from their mother and led her to the top floor. “You know you’re going to have to tell her eventually, right?”

Violet rolled her eyes in haste. “Eventually, Landon. I wasn’t in the mood to hear the whole ‘you’re too busy, slow down’ speech from two people this week.” She could feel her eyes grow wetter than normal and tried to shake the tears away.

“Let’s just forget about it, okay? Have a drink, dance, let yourself loose.” She smiled at his patience.

They walked into the crowded upper floor, draped with white tables, chaise lounges, an overabundance of white flowers, and couches. Landon attempted to pull her to a corner where their friends and family were relaxing.

Violet stopped short of the make-shift suite, pulling Landon towards her. “I’m going to the bar. Would you like anything?”

Landon nodded his head. "Sure. I'll take a double vodka."

Grudgingly, Violet walked towards the bar, sighing softly, and ran a hand through her hair out of nervous habit. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to just go home, put on her pajamas, and sleep through the next few days. The room was overly crowded with people, which always made her quite anxious.

She placed her hands on the bar in front of her and ordered herself a whiskey and Landon's vodka from the overly friendly bartender.

"You're one of Veronica's daughters?" He inquired, a smile on his face.

Violet nodded and politely returned the smile. "Yes, one of them," She replied, taking the drinks from the bartender.

"You look just like her!" He exclaimed, leaning across the bar.

"Ah, well, thank you," She replied, smiling softly.

Violet returned to the corner and handed Landon his drink.

"That bartender was a bit friendly," She sat down on the leather couch next to him.

"Oh!" Landon exclaimed, smirking. "Was he cute at least?"

She smiled. "Not my type."

*

Benedict recognized her immediately from across the bar, pleading with her silently to notice his gaze. He knew he wouldn't be able to get over to her quick enough, and well, the fact that his date would object made him rethink his thoughts.

He would have gave his right arm to be able to hear their conversation. _Obsessed wasn't the word_ , he argued with himself. More, _curious_. Her bartender handed her two glasses, presumably whiskey and vodka judging from the consistency and color. She took them in her hands and smiled at the bartender, the mere action turning his brain to mush. Even as she left the bar, his eyes were still on her.

Karma was on his side tonight, as the same bartender walked over to his side and took his drink order. “If you don't mind me asking, who was that brunette?” Benedict questioned, his heart racing.

The bartender smiled. “From the other side?” He said, pointing towards her.

Benedict nodded in response.

“That’s Veronica Whitfield’s daughter. And that’s all I know, mate. I’m sorry,” The bartender handed him his drinks and took a drink order from another patron.

Benedict walked back over to the table of his friends and date, where he took his close friend Andrew Scott aside. “You advertised for Veronica Whitfield, right? A few months ago?” Benedict's voice drifted into his ear.

Andrew glanced up at him, a questioning look on his face. “I did, which is why we’re here,” He replied, smirking.

“Yes, yes. Now, do you know her daughter?”

“Which one?” Andrew chuckled.

“The brunette.” Benedict replied, his lips curling into a smile.

Andrew grinned at him and shook his head. “I do believe I know who you’re speaking of,” He said.

“Is it possible for you to introduce us?” Ben’s voice was low in an attempt to keep the conversation sacred.

“You and every male in this place, Benedict. What’s this about?”

“I’d just like to meet her, that’s all.”

“I’m not introducing you to another woman while you’re on a date, Benedict.” Andrew replied tartly and stepped back towards their table.

Benedict nodded, acknowledging that he was right. It wouldn't be fair to his date, of course, but he felt compelled to reach out to her in some innocent way. His mind turning, he began planning out the instance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**Chapter Five**

Violet slipped off her black suede Manolos and turned on the couch to face Landon, tucking her legs underneath her.

"I'm actually surprised you made it," Landon admitted, smirking.

"I'd much rather be at home in my pajamas, but I always love spending time with you, my dear." She took a sip of her whiskey, finishing the drink and setting it on the table next to her.

Landon smiled at her. "I feel so honored." He winked. "So have you spoken with Matt since...?"

Violet shook her head. "No. Well, he did send me a text about some things he left at my flat, so I left them in a box downstairs."

"Did you leave them outside on the sidewalk? Or with your doorman?" He chuckled.

Violet gasped. "Landon, I'm not that cruel. I left them with my doorman, of course." She licked her lips. "Tell me about this Marcus. Am I going to love him?"

He tilted his head towards her and smiled. "You're probably going to end up loving him more than me."

She shook her head. "Oh, I don't think so, brother."

"Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?"

"Absolutely! I can't wait." She grinned.

The bartender interrupted the two with a whiskey. "This is for you," He said, attempting to hand over the drink.

Violet tilted her head up towards him. "I'm sorry," She replied, "but I don't accept drinks from the unknown."

Landon laughed. "Was it bought for her?"

The bartender nodded. "Yes. From a gentleman, who would like to remain anonymous."

"If he wants to buy me a drink, tell him I prefer to actually be face to face with him." Violet replied, holding up her hands in protest.

The bartender nodded. "I'll be sure and tell him," He smiled, walking back towards the bar.

Landon smiled at her. "I wonder who would buy you a drink?" 

"That was rude, Landon. Men do occasionally like me, you know." She replied, rolling her sparkling eyes.

"No," Landon began, "I meant who _here_ is trying to buy you a drink?"

Violet looked around and she smiled mischievously. "Well, I do need another drink..."

*

Benedict waited patiently at the bar, tapping his fingers against the counter top in a boisterous tune.

The bartender stepped behind the bar and walked towards him. "She said, and I quote, 'I don't accept drinks from the unknown' and 'If he would like to buy me a drink, I prefer to be face to face with him'."

Benedict smiled. "I can't exactly do that right now," He said, pointing towards his date sitting at a nearby table.

The bartender shrugged, unsure of how to continue the conversation. "Would you like another drink?"

"A scotch, please. Make that two." Benedict replied, sighing softly. His plan failed, and with yet another scotch consumed, the sobering aspect of planning was going out the window. His eyes traveled down the bar and stopped at Landon, who walked up to the bar on the other side.

The bartender turned and smiled at him. "Let me guess, she would like a whiskey?"

Landon reciprocated the smile. "Yes, and I'll take another Vodka. Take your time." He looked at the gentleman in front of the bartender, his mind assuming that he was the gentleman who was attempting to buy his little sister a drink. He knew that the man reminded him of someone, yet couldn't place it at the moment. 

Benedict walked back to his table and set one of the glasses of scotch down on the table and drinking the other glass quickly. His date looked up at him and smiled. "I'm about ready to go," She whispered in his ear, her hand on his forearm. He nodded, acknowledging her request, and took the other glass of scotch to his lips.

At least he knew that Andrew knew her, as her identity was soon to be revealed to him.

*

Landon brought the drinks over to Violet and sat down next to her.

"He's gorgeous." He stated, handing her the whiskey.

She smiled. "Tell me more."

"About my height, dark hair. Looks incredibly familiar, but I just can't place it. Beautiful facial structure."

Violet turned towards him. "Green eyes?"

"Well, he was too far away to tell. But those cheekbones, and that waistcoat. Violet, you have to go find him."

She smiled. "Excuse me? Me go find him? He was the one who was attempting to buy me a drink. I think I'll let him try and find me."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**Chapter Six**

Andrew picked up the tea cup gingerly and brought it to his lips. "Heavenly," He murmured, a smile blossoming on his lips.

"I've missed you, Scott," Violet winked at him from across the table.

"Oh Watson, I've missed you too, it's been entirely too long." Andrew replied, setting the cup down on the saucer. "How has life been treating you, my dear?"

"Well," She began, pulling the cashmere scarf off of her neck, "busy. I've immersed myself further into the hospital, which I know isn't healthy, but it's the only thing I know how to do properly."

Andrew shook his head. "Violet, stop! You know how to do plenty of things properly. You just need to get out of the hospital more. I need to help you get your social life back in order, remember how it used to be?"

Violet sighed. "That was so long ago! Believe me, I love my old social life. Teach me, oh wise one." She winked at him.

"Well, I think I can be of some use," He leaned his elbows up against the table top and clasped his hands together. "I have someone I want you to meet."

Violet took a sip of her tea. "Oh is that so?"

"Yes. Apparently, he tried to buy you a drink at the last party your mother had, and you politely declined."

Violet gasped. "Didn't your mum ever tell you not to take things from strangers?!"

Andrew leaned his head back and laughed. "When I was 10 years old, Violet. He was simply trying to do something nice. He's a good guy."

"If he was such a good guy, why couldn't he have come over and introduced himself?" Violet inquired, her eyebrows raising on her forehead.

"He was otherwise entertained that night," He smirked.

She chuckled. "Is he always otherwise entertained?"

"He's single, if that's what you're after. But he does date, I mean after all, he is human."

"Not married to his work, you mean?" She smirked.

Andrew grinned. "So what's the story there? He mentioned you've seen each other before."

Violet sighed. "Well, I've just sort of seen him all over the city at random times,"

"I have to be honest, Violet. He's told me. The train, Browns, the escalator, the party."

Violet furrowed her brows. "I don't remember seeing him at Browns. And I certainly didn't think he noticed me on the escalator."

"He was there at Browns, saw you walking out, apparently." He said, nodding slowly. "And I believe he said he saw you for a split second on the escalator. But don't take my word completely, I was a little sloshed when he told me all this."

Violet smiled softly. "My mother is throwing another party. February 13th. You're invited, of course, and if you would like to bring your friend, I don't see how that would be a problem."

*

Benedict pulled out his laptop from his bag and sat it on the table in front of him, his fingers clasped beneath his chin. The urge to look up Veronica Whitfield was heavy, yet his mind lurched - would this be considered as to be interfering with fate? Maybe he was thinking too much into this.

He couldn't help but to think back to that moment in time a month ago, where he had the opportunity to speak to a breathtakingly beautiful woman on the tube, yet no words could be formed in his mind. That  woman stirred something inside his soul, and he felt as if her needed her, yet he had no idea who she even was. He closed the laptop with such force it shook the table. He shook his head slowly and closed his eyes, daydreaming back to that moment.

The skintight dark denim jeans and dark brown riding boots adorned her long, lean legs; a light, hooded ivory pea coat was wrapped around torso, her perfectly long fingers peeking out the sleeves. She ran her left hand through her dark, curly hair and twirled a piece around her finger. It looked so incredibly soft and silky, and he urged to touch it or run his hands through it himself. He was trying his damnedest to deduce her, yet she wasn't giving many clues away. She was perfectly dressed, everything was clean, no signs of marriage or bad habits. He was stumped.

Benedict sighed deeply and ran his hands over his face, rubbing his eyes softly. Why was this happening? What was so important about this woman? Was he missing something? No, that couldn't be it, he never missed anything - he was always on top of his game - so why couldn't he get her off his mind? His phone buzzed on the table beside his laptop. He resisted the urge to ignore it. Picking up the phone, he smiled.

"Andrew," He greeted, "it's good to hear from you."

"Good afternoon, Benedict. How's LA treating you?"

Benedict chuckled. "Not so terrible. I take it London is still standing?"

"So far, ask me again in a few days."

"Thanks for returning my call in a timely manner," Benedict joked, opening up his laptop yet again.

"Well," Andrew started, sighing softly, "I knew what you wanted, and I wasn't ready to spill the information quite yet."

"What I wanted?" Benedict repeated, gasping softly. "Its as if you hardly know me, Andrew. I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful time."

Andrew laughed. "What are your plans for February 13th?"

"Uh, well," Benedict hesitated.

"I've been invited to a party, and I thought you might like to join me. It's being hosted by Miss Veronica Whitfield."

Benedict sat up in his chair. "Is that so?"

"Mmmhhmm," Andrew replied. Benedict could hear him smiling over the phone.

"So you won't tell me her name, but you'll take me to her mother's party?"

"I had lunch with her this afternoon," Andrew gloated, chuckling. He continued. "She might be looking forward to the occasion,"

Benedict smiled. "You're terrible."

"Ah, well, so I've been told. So are you joining me or not?"

"I couldn't imagine missing it, Andrew."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**Chapter Seven**

Benedict pulled the door open to the pub and stepped inside, the warm air and the smell of pale ale welcoming him into the small establishment. He maneuvered himself through the crowded floor and gathered around the table, full of his closest friends. He greeted them each casually, all asking for tales of his holiday in LA.

After a few pints of ale and rousing conversations, he was sitting at the pub table alone, his friends playing billiards and conversing with one another. He looked at his watch, the time getting away from him. He plucked his coat from the back of the chair and waved goodbye to his friends, the last thing he wanted was to get plastered tonight.

He opened the door to the pub and stepped out in the frigid February air, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jumper. He began his walk to the tube platform, his pace quickening as he realized the next train was just a few minutes away. He moved in and out of slow pedestrian traffic, in an attempt to get home as quickly as possible.

The thought of being home, finally, sleeping in his own bed made his muscles squeal with anticipation. As he began the trek down the stairs to the platform, his eyes were caught upon a certain brunette a few steps in front of him.

Although he couldn't see her face, he knew it was her. The flowing brown locks, those long taut legs, her brown leather messenger bag. His heart raced.

*

Violet glanced at her watch on her wrist and hurried down to the tube platform, the warm air rushing up her body and giving her a sense of tranquility. She always hated winter - so cold, so desolate, so dark. Her heart always seemed to fail her at this time, as her loneliness continued to grow larger and larger inside her chest.

The train was right on time. Stepping through the rush of people on the platform, she felt a presence behind her and her heart rate slowed, as if she were suddenly moving only in slow motion.

As she stepped onto the train, a hand took hold of her elbow and she turned towards the statuesque presence behind her. A pair of sparkling green eyes greeted her and she gasped - his touch sent a wave of heart palpitations throughout her entire body.

They were caught in a split-second moment of their own, staring at one other, soft smiles on their faces. He dropped his hand in an attempt to move onto the train, yet the doors closed between their faces. He watched the train leave, without him on it, and his heart dropped. She held onto the pole in the train tighter, her eyes focused on the platform behind her.

Sure, the train platform was long behind her, but the memory was not.

 *

Benedict smiled to himself as he watched the train depart. He was going to have to wait another 7-10 minutes for the next train to arrive, but he was on such a high from seeing her that the delay didn't matter. He knew he would be seeing her, meeting her, in just a few days and he could hardly keep his emotions to himself. She wasn't just a stranger anymore, she played such an inspiring role, even though he still had no idea who she truly was. There were so many things he wanted to ask her, and not wanting to forget them, he opened up his phone and began typing them out in his notes.

He saved them and dropped the phone back into his pocket, tightening the scarf around his neck. He was ready.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**{Chapter Eight}**

**{POV: Violet}**

Landon shook his head and smiled at me. “You know I despise being late, Violet.”

I smirked. “Oh, relax, brother. Marcus is going to be waiting for you, you know that.”

“It’s not Marcus I’m worried about,” He continued shaking his head from the seat next to me in the cab.

“Oh, stop. All I’ll have to do is tell mother I couldn’t decide what to wear, she’ll completely understand.” I winked at him.

“And you did make such a good decision,” He replied, eyeing the short black sequin dress adorning my body.

“Why thank you,” I smiled at him, pulling the black Alexander McQueen coat tighter around my waist.

The silence was short lived. “Did you google him?”

“Excuse me?”

“You know what I mean, Violet. Now that you know who he is, did you google him?”

I smiled and cut my eyes toward him. “Possibly,”

“Violet, Violet, Violet. Are you going to behave tonight?”

“Possibly.” I shrugged my shoulders.

He chuckled. “I had a feeling.”

Once we finally arrived to the party and made our rounds of greeting practically everyone we knew, I took hold of Landon’s arm and led him to the bar. “I believe it’s time for a drink,”

He smiled. “I believe it’s time for you to get a drink and me to find Marcus. Pick me up something delicious and come find us after.”

“Is that all I’m good for now? Fetching drinks?”

He winked at me and plucked the navy clutch from underneath my arm. “Vodka. Please.”

I scoffed and shook my head. _Men_. I headed towards the bar, my navy platform Manolo’s already pinching my toes. I rolled my eyes. _I knew I should’ve worn another pair_ , I moaned silently. I rested my forearms on the countertop of the bar, leaning up against it in order to find the nearest bartender.

Thankfully, he came quickly. “Yes, what may I get for you this evening?”

I smiled at him and began to answer, until a deep baritone voice spoke up beside me. “I believe she’ll take a whiskey, on the rocks.”

How I didn't notice him before, I'll never know. The world seemed to slow as a smile blossomed on my lips. His presence beside me combined with that voice made me unable to think correctly and produce the proper words. Slowly, I nodded towards the bartender, acknowledging the correct drink order. I turned to my right, my heart continuing to race.

His green eyes sparkled down at me. "If I remember correctly, you prefer face to face interaction when men buy you drinks."

"That I do," I responded, facing him. The ability to speak was slowly returning, although my heart rate had me worried. "I'm surprised you remembered that." He was even more beautiful than I had remembered.

He licked his perfectly pink lips and smiled. "I tend not to forget things that a woman as beautiful as you tells me."

I took my whiskey from the bartenders hands and smiled. "Does that happen to you often?"

"You mean seeing a gorgeous woman all over London and never having the opportunity to say hello? Or never forgetting what you tell me?"

Oh, how he was making me blush. I raised my eyebrows. "I believe that you had an opportunity to say hello the very first time on the train."

"Quite frankly, you left me breathless."

I smiled up at him, taken aback by his honesty. He ordered a scotch for himself and turned back towards me. I knew I couldn't let myself get away from this man again.

I felt an arm wrap around my waist and turned towards the body beside me.

"Violet, love! You finally made it!" Andrew embraced me tightly and greeted me properly.

I chuckled. "My mother made the mistake of sending too many outfits to choose from," I winked at him.

"You chose well, love. I'm sure Landon had a part in that."

"Of course he did. He's around here with Marcus somewhere," I waved my hand towards the back corner.

"And I see you ran into someone at the bar," He smiled. "Benedict Cumberbatch, meet Violet Watson. Now, I care deeply for the both of you, so please, behave.” Andrew patted Benedict on the shoulder and winked at him. “Now, I must go find that brother of yours, Violet. Remember. Behave!”

Benedict smiled, his eyes catching mine, pulling me into a few moments of complete silence, the world still feeling eerily slow and calm. “Well, Miss Watson, now that we've been left by ourselves, would you like to find somewhere to put your feet up and relax?”

“I’d love to.”

As I stepped beside of him to navigate through the crowded room, his cologne floated through my nose and landed in a pit deep in my stomach. The musky, wood notes pleaded to spread my legs right there on the spot.

We sat at a table in the back of the room, close enough to my friends and family yet far enough away to maintain a private conversation. He smiled at me as I crossed my legs, his eyes lingering on the hem of my dress, snug on my upper thighs.

"I have to admit," He started, his eyes finally meeting my own. "I've looked forward to this day since I first saw you."

"So you can get a closer look to my legs?" I smirked, bringing the glass of whiskey to my lips.

He laughed, bringing his right hand to his thigh and rubbing it gently. I watched his long, lean fingers glide across his grey trousers and I bit my bottom lip in anticipation. _Get with it, Violet. You've just met the man._ I attempted to shake the thoughts from my head, yet the more he continued to talk, the thoughts continued to multiply.

"Actually," He began, pulling out his mobile, "I had some questions for you."

I raised my eyebrows. "You? Have questions for me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" He winked at me. "I've seen you all over London at random times, yet never had the opportunity to speak more than two words to you."

I sighed in an attempt to rid my body of the butterflies it had seemed to catch. I took another sip of my whiskey. "Everything happens for a reason, Benedict." His name on my lips drove me insane. "Fate has a funny way of making itself known."

He seemed taken aback by the use of the word fate. I sat my drink back down on the table and leaned my forearms onto the edge of the table, clasping my hands together. "So, please. Tell me what you would like to know."

Benedict leaned back in his chair and smiled at me, his eyes, now more blue, were sparkling. We were interrupted by a group of ladies, obviously fans of Benedict, requesting photos and autographs. He politely obliged every single one, and a few minutes later, it seemed as if half of the event guests were over at the table.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Landon's smiling face, holding my mobile phone in front of me. "You've recieved a few calls from the hospital. Figured you might want to return the phone call." I snatched the iPhone out of his hands before he had a chance to object and made my way to the back door, where I stepped out onto the empty patio and dialed the number so familiar.

I had forgotten that the weather was shit, so by the sixth minute of my phone call I began to shiver slightly. The door opened behind me, and I expected it to be Landon, checking up on my phone call and asking the inevitable: "Are you ditching the party and going to the hospital?". Only, a gray dinner jacket adorned my shoulders and the musky tones flowed through my nostrils once again.

I wrapped up my conversation and sat my mobile on the ledge in front of us. Although we were quiet, I felt as if he could hear the heavy beat of my heart, the shallow breaths of my lungs.

He looked over at me and smiled. "I'm sorry about that, sometimes it just happens," His voice was low, almost at a whisper.

I smiled up at him. "Don't apologize. Obviously we're both quite committed to our careers."

"So what do you do? Judging by your phone conversation I'm going to say something medical," He chuckled.

I nodded. "I work at Royal London Hospital, where I'm a paediatric surgeon." Usually, it would either bring one of two reactions: the realization that I work way too damn much for a relationship or the true appreciation for what I do.

"Wow," He breathed a deep sigh, "so you save babies."

"I do. And it's amazing." I gushed, grinning.

He smiled. "I'd like to hear more about that sometime. Maybe tonight?"

"Tonight?" I repeated, my brows furrowing softly.

"Yes, tonight. Go find a bottle of wine and somewhere quiet-"

"Then let's go." I grabbed my iPhone and turned towards him.

"Really?" He smiled.

"Absolutely."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**{Chapter Nine}**

**{POV:Violet}**

Benedict slid into the seat across the table from me; the low light of the wine bar exposing his near flawless face. "So, Miss Watson, or do you prefer Doctor?" He inquired, a smirk turning the corners of his lips towards his sparkling eyes.

"Actually, I prefer Violet," I responded, leaning back in the creaking wooden chair.

"Violet," He smiled, enjoying the sound of my name on his lips. "This place is stunning. I've never been here before."

"Ah," I took the menu from the waiter standing beside the table.

"Your usual, Dr. Watson?"

"Yes, please." I nodded politely.

"And for you, sir?"

"A glass of Pinot Noir, please."

The waiter gave a curt nod and left the small table quickly.

"Landon and I come here quite often." I revealed, my bright blue eyes landing on his.

He nodded. "So I can tell." His eyes travelled across the small establishment, noting the stone walls and candlelit table tops until they landed on mine once again.

"Are you enjoying yourself tonight?" I questioned, clasping my hands together and bringing them to my lap gently.

"I am," He smiled.

"So, I believe you had some questions for me," I smirked at him from across the table.

"Do you have plans for tomorrow night?" I chuckled.

"I do, actually."

"Ah," He replied, shaking his head negligently. "Of course you do, such a beautiful woman such as yourself alone on Valentines day? Bollocks,"

"Thank you for the compliment, Benedict, but I'm afraid I don't have a date. I'm working."

He smiled. "Is that so?"

"Yes," I began, drawing a long breath, "as I said earlier, I work in paediatrics. So on Valentines day, we tend to send the parents out for a nice dinner. They usually spend every waking moment at the hospital, so it gives them a chance to focus on each other while we watch movies and eat chocolate with the kids."

Benedict nodded, his silence making me realize that he was beginning to understand what I was, which was nothing but a workaholic.

I attempted a smile and let my eyes wander to the other patrons in the bar: a few younger couples, an older gentleman, a group of middle aged women enjoying a lively conversation. His voice caught me by surprise.

"I apologize I'm so quiet, but once again, Violet Watson, you've left me speechless."

I could feel the light blush approach my cheeks softly. I furrowed my brows in an attempt to analyze his statement, of which I couldn't do. Of course.

The waiter brought over our glasses, thankfully, and I took a small sip quickly. "Your questions?" I prodded, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear.

Never breaking my gaze, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile. "Ah, yes," He mumbled, smiling softly. "I'd like to get to know you better, if that's alright with you,"

"Well, you have my attention, Mister Cumberbatch." My eyes traveled to his Cupid's bow lips, perfectly pink and moist, and down to the small freckles on the side of his neck, of which I could imagine my lips kissing ever so softly.

"If you could choose between a grand home in the city or a tiny flat with the most amazing views, what would you prefer to live in for the rest of your life?"

I bit my bottom lip softly. "Why, a tiny flat with an amazing view, of course. I'd much rather live in beauty than surrounded by possessions."

"Is there a certain place you have in mind?"

I smiled softly and sighed. "New Zealand, it's absolutely exquisite. Everywhere you turn; beaches, valleys, mountains, deserts."

He smiled. "Yes, I have to agree, New Zealand is exquisite, but not as exquisite as you are in this light."

"You're being too kind."

"There's no such thing," He smiled and continued. "If you had one week to live, what would you do?"

I took another sip of my wine and leaned up in my chair, resting my elbows onto the table. "Only a week to live," I repeated, watching his actions.

He took the glass in his hands and swirled the red nectar around.

"Well, I don't know if I would do anything different, to be honest."

"You wouldn't want to do anything you've never done before? Skydiving?"

"Done it."

"Scuba diving?"

"Done. Bora Bora, Australia, Mexico."

He smiled at me so wide, the corners of his mouth almost touched the corners of his eyes. "You are quite the adventurer, Violet."

I shrugged. "People like to say that I work all the time and don't know how to play, but in fact, I play quite well. I enjoy seeing the world and participating in things I've never experienced."

"And so there's nothing you can think of that you would like to experience? That you haven't yet?"

I leaned back in my chair and smiled. "I've never been to Antarctica; I'd like to see the lions in Africa; I'd like to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro."

He scoffed. "And Andrew told me you were married to your job."

"I can be. Isn't everyone?" I smirked.

"Not everyone loves their job as much as you do, Violet."

"Unfortunately, I understand. But do you?"

He nodded. "Very much so. I've worked very hard, for these past 10 years or so, and I still have a lot of work to do. I plan to accomplish a lot."

"That's always a good quality; the desire to work your hardest." I scoffed. "You know, both Andrew and Landon told me that I didn't need to work that hard. That I had already accomplished so much, that I should slow down and get married and relax."

"And will you?"

"Slow down and relax? Or get married?"

"Both." He answered, his fingers tracing circles onto the wooden tabletop.

I sighed. "For the proper occasion, yes."

"Would I be perceived as a proper occasion?"

"Why, Benedict Cumberbatch, I hardly know you."

He belted out a hearty laugh. "We can change that, you know."

"I was always told, in past relationships, that I was too busy for them. That I didn't take the time. I would be late to dinner dates and cut holidays short because there was an emergency at the hospital. I never made them a priority, was the problem, because I never wanted to. They bored me, acted as if they were appalled because I was more successful than they were, and I wasn't going to apologize for it."

"And you never should have had to apologize for it. Those weren't men, they were boys, scared of the independent, self sufficient woman. Quite frankly, I find it stimulating."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, this has not been beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Thank you for the support and I welcome all suggestions!

**{Chapter Ten}**

**{POV: Violet}**

I glanced at my watch after checking on the entire ward, making sure all children were taken care of and tucked into their beds accordingly. _9:30pm on Valentines Day, and this is what you're looking at, Violet_. I thought to myself, staring at a pile of unsorted medical charts.

"Dr. Watson, you know that those can wait until the morning. Why don't you get out of here for the night? Dr. Smith just came on the floor. Go and have some fun," Nurse Hall looked at me expectantly from across the desk.

I smiled reluctantly. "Oh, please. I have no plans, other than with my books."

"Get out of here!" She commanded, her voice increasing with each passing word. "Before I make you leave!"

I chuckled and shook my head. "Alright, alright! I'm leaving!" I held up my hands in defeat and headed towards my office in order to change out of my scrubs and head home.

After a tube ride and a long, hot shower I was able to curl up in my large overstuffed chair in the library with a good book. Not 10 minutes later, I was interrupted with a telephone call from the front desk.

"Oh, bloody hell!" I muttered, standing up in a haste to reach the telephone. I picked up the receiver in an effort to hurry the conversation.

"Dr. Watson?"

"Yes?"

"I have a guest for you."

"A guest?" I repeated, my mind spinning.

"Yes, a Mr. Cumberbatch to see you."

A smile spread on my lips quickly. "A Mr. Benedict Cumberbatch, I presume?"

"Yes,"

"Then send him up."

I set the receiver down and headed towards the reception room, glancing at myself in the over sized full length mirror. Black leggings, a grey fitted tunic sweater. I made an attempt to do something with my still damp hair, yet I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

The bell of the elevator alerted me of its arrival, so I made my way to the hallway.

"Good evening, Violet." He walked out of the elevator with a smile on his beautiful face.

"And what do I owe this pleasure, Mr. Cumberbatch?"

Benedict brought a bouquet of flowers, white roses wrapped in paper, from behind his back. "These are for you,"

I took the package from him tenderly, bringing the flowers up to my nose and breathing in their aromatic scent. "Thank you. They smell divine,"

He followed me into the kitchen, where I began putting the arrangement into a vase from underneath the sink. "Would you like something to drink? Some tea, wine?" I offered, setting the completed vase on the kitchen counter by the sink.

Benedict opened the small wine cooler underneath the cabinet next to the dishwasher, and began to sort through my wine collection. "How about some wine? Is there something you have a taste for tonight?"

I stopped myself from staring at him, bent over, the small sliver of skin between his trousers and navy jumper enticing my thoughts. "Not really, no."

"I hope this will do," He replied, setting the bottle down lightly onto the marble counter top. "A Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Bordeaux?" He read the label again and looked over at me, awaiting response.

“Sounds delightful.” I reached into a drawer and pulled out the corkscrew, handing it to him gently. As he opened the wine I retrieved two glasses from the shelf and set them next to him.

“I have to admit, Violet, I didn’t plan on coming over here tonight.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Is that so?”

“I didn’t want to bother you, in all honesty. I was afraid that after all of our conversation last night that you would want a night off from my inane questions.”

“Your questions were certainly not silly, Benedict. I liked the idea, really. We had a nice, long conversation, which in my book, can never go wrong.”

He poured the wine into the glasses and smiled. “Well I’m glad you enjoyed it, then. Andrew encouraged me to stop by tonight. He seems to know you better than anyone I’d imagine.”

I smiled. “He likes to keep tabs on me, yes, but I have a feeling tonight he had something else up his sleeve. Did he tell you where I lived, too?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact he did. He asked me if I would be seeing you tonight, and I told him you were working. A few minutes later, he responded and said that you were heading home, with no plans, so I figured… why not?” He handed me a glass of wine.

“Would you like to go sit down?” I offered, my back aching silently.

“Of course,” He replied, picking up his own glass and following me to the lounge. Benedict sat down on the couch and noticed my book sitting on the table next to him. He took the book in his hands and let his fingertips roam over the worn leather.

He lowered his sparkling eyes to mine. "Really?" He inquired, a smile slowly spreading on his face.

"It's a classic," I smirked, sitting next to him on the couch, pulling my legs underneath me.

“Yes, it is a classic. But the movie is far better.”

I nodded. “Yes, I have it too. But when I’m alone, I tend to read.”

“Well, you’re not alone right now, how about we watch it?” He noticed my hesitation and continued. “Come on, I promise I’ll be good. I love this movie!”

“Okay, okay, fine! Come, let’s go to the movie room.” I sat up, holding my wine tightly.

“You have a movie room?!” He inquired, grinning.

“I do. It’s a guest room that was renovated,”

He followed me up the stairs and as I opened the door, he sighed. “Ah, now I see your hesitation!”

“Yes, we ordered couches, but I didn’t like them, so we kind of just…” I trailed off, looking up at him beside me.

“You kind of just made a huge bed!” He exclaimed, walking into the room and laying down on the massive amount of pillows and blankets. “I don’t think I ever want to leave this room,”

I laughed. “Most people don’t.” I opened a cabinet of the entertainment center and pulled out the blu ray copy of The Princess Bride and held it up to him. “Are you sure?” I asked him again out of good conscience.

“Put in the movie, Violet!”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an issue with posting, but alas, its been fixed! Apologies for the trouble + delay! Hope you enjoy getting to know more about Violet and her thoughts. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

**{Chapter Eleven}  
{POV: Violet}**

"Violet, love, tell me that you don't hate me," Andrew glanced at me from across the table, his dark eyes roaming over the lunch menu of the Opera Tavern carefully.

"Andrew, my dear, why would I hate you?" I chuckled, opening the menu in my hands.

His lips curled into a devious smirk. "Well, I was responsible for giving Benedict your address, and revealing your non-existant plans for Valentines day,"

I tilted my head towards my right shoulder and smiled at him softly. "Oh, it's alright, Andrew. I knew you did it from the bottom of your heart." I winked at him and glanced over the menu in an effort to pinpoint my appetite for the day.

"He certainly has it bad for you, Violet Watson." He raised his eyebrows and smiled widely.

My face grew warm, the light pink blush gracing my cheeks softly. "He hardly knows me," I muttered, my eyes pulling the waiter towards our table to retrieve our orders.

Andrew and I both decided to share some infamous Tapas: Pork Belly with Rosemary Cannellini Beans; Grilled Mackerel with Leeks + White Asparagus; and Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Bleu Cheese Fritters + Rainbow Chard.

"You're right, Violet. He hardly knows you, but he is very anxious to change that." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest.

"So why isn't he here now?"

"Because, my dear Watson, I know you so much better than he does. I know that you're questioning him and his motives; I know that you're skeptical over starting a relationship; I know that you prefer to stay at home; I know that you have your life planned and everything around you has to be known and organized; I know-"

"Okay, alright, I get it!" I exclaimed, flabbergasted at his persistence. "You know me very well, Andrew. But that still doesn't explain why you're here and he's not,"

Andrew shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Violet, love, I'm here for you. I want to make sure that you're okay and feel comfortable with all this. You two are both very different people, yet you have a lot of big qualities that are similar."

"Like?" I inquired, my curious nature getting the best of me.

"Well," He started, taking a sip of wine, "you're both homebodies and can be quite the introvert; yet you both enjoy an insane amount of adventure. You're both highly intelligent and know almost everything there is about art and literature. There is something about you two that just works, Violet, and I really think you should give this a chance.”

I simply nodded, acknowledging his statement, keeping his words in the back of my mind. Truth be told, I had no idea what I was thinking or even wanted.

The doctor side of me wanted to analyze the situation head on and put all of the pros and cons on a piece of paper to determine what made the most logical sense. I'm worried that I'm not going to make the right decision and have my heart broken once again. I'm worried he's going to realize how independent and self sufficient I really am and not know how to handle it.

This man knew absolutely nothing about me and I knew absolutely nothing about him, yet every time I was with him I felt as if everything around us ceased to exist. I was worried. I was nervous. I was terrified. I had no idea what I was going to do or say, and for the first time in my life, I was exhilarated.

I think too much; I spend too much time dwelling on situations and conversations of the past; I love with everything I have; I second guess myself more often than not. And in a male driven occupation, those were some of the least sought after qualities I could have. I’ve had to fight for so long to achieve every single thing that I’ve done in my educational and professional careers, that when I’ve had the opportunity to stop and relax, I knew I couldn’t afford to.

Going to bed alone; having no one to send me romantic emails or text messages that brought a smile to my face; arriving home at three in the morning to a cold and desolate flat; dinner for one; a lonely afternoon cup of tea.

That was how I lived my day. I used to beg and plead, silently of course, to have someone come into my life so I wouldn’t feel so alone. I know that I have the full support of my family and friends, but that wasn’t enough.

I needed a companion. Someone who could look at me and knew what I was thinking without even speaking. I fought, incredibly hard, to not feel as if I “had” to have a man to complete me, as if I were an incomplete person because I didn’t have a lover to share my bed and heart. No.

Just because I don’t believe in marriage doesn’t mean I don’t want a companion to share my life with. It means that I know what I want and I’m not afraid to take chances; or does it? Does anyone really know what they want in life? What makes them happy? Because I don’t.

I don’t let my occupation define me. Yes, I love my job. Yes, I love my patients. Yes, I am grateful for every opportunity I’ve been given. But sometimes, you have to push all that aside and realize that this is your life and you deserve to be happy.

Take chances. Don’t take no as an answer. Push the boundaries of your limitations. Love with all you have. And always, always, make sure to remember to put yourself first, because hell, maybe you just deserve it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support! 

**{Chapter 12}**

**{POV: Violet}**

I didn't know how long the phone had been ringing, and frankly, I didn't care. I was running on zero sleep and coming off of three emergency surgeries in one morning alone, which equalled nothing but a hungry, cranky Violet. Reluctantly, I answered the phone, my face still resting softly in the down feather pillow.

"Doctor Watson?"

"Yes?"

"I know you said you didn't want to be bothered but you have a guest downstairs who is very persistent."

I sighed heavily. "Who is it?"

"Mr. Cumberbatch. He said he tried your mobile but there was no answer."

"Send him up."

I resisted the urge to throw the phone across the room and instead pulled my eyelids open wearily, my eyes adjusting to the light circling around me. I grudgingly slid myself off the bed and stretched my arms and legs, praying for a surge of energy to come pulsing through my body.

_Thirty minutes of sleep. Could have been worse._

My bare feet finally reached the cool marble of the reception room; the bottom of my teal scrub pants dragging behind me slightly.

The elevator opened into my flat and Benedict burst out, a large smile on his perfectly plump lips. "Violet!" He exclaimed, walking towards me with yet another bouquet of purple tulips and crocuses in his hands. "These are for you,"

I smiled at him. "Thank you, they're beautiful!" I took the flowers from his outstretched hand. "What are you doing in this area?"

"I had a meeting and I wanted to stop by and see you, I hope that's alright, I didn't want to bother you."

"Benedict," I scolded, a smirk forming on my lips. "You're never a bother. I was just attempting to take a nap."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I interrupted you," He leaned up against the wall beside me.

"No, it's fine. Here, come in," I began walking to the kitchen. "Would you like some tea?" I sat the package of flowers down on the counter.

"No, I'm fine, don't trouble yourself," He sat down on the barstool. "Are you alright, Violet? You look a little..."

My right hand landed on the messy bun atop my head and smiled. "Tired?"

He nodded his head.

"It's because I am. I had three emergency surgeries, all between 3am and 11am, which means no sleep." I leaned up against the counter.

He smiled, his fingers drumming against his thigh. "Well, I hope they were successful,"

I nodded. "All of them were, thank you,"

"Well I have to be honest here, I didn't just happen to drop by, I came here to ask you a question."

_I love his questions, but I could barely distinguish what was real and what was reality at the moment, so I hoped it was nothing critical._

He could sense my hesitation. "It's an easy question, I promise." He smiled at me and instantly it eased my anxiety.

"What would you like to know, Benedict?"

"Are you available tomorrow night?" He inquired, his eyes catching mine and keeping me in his gaze.

I smiled. "I am."

"Well then would be interested in having dinner with me? A date, perhaps?" He inquired, biting his bottom lip in anticipation.

"That sounds lovely," I replied, my eyes still on his, enjoying the relief washing over his face.

I wish that I had more energy than I did to process this information correctly; I was excited and looking forward to this opportunity, yet my exhaustion was slowly winning out. As I looked at this genuinely happy man across from me, my heart leapt with joy and anticipation.

*****

**{POV: Benedict}**

I could sense her hesitation and the last that I ever wanted was to make her uncomfortable or as if I were forcing her to accept my dinner proposal. I know that there is something special between us and the last thing I wanted to do, as Tom had said months before, was force something that shouldn't be forced. I couldn't explain how I knew, but I just did.

At this point in time, everything was right - the right time, the right person, the right situation. I feel as if there is so much more to Violet than I ever thought possible, and for once, it didn't turn me off or lose my attention. I know that she is intelligent, a hard worker, dedicated to her job. But I also feel as if there's something brewing in her mind that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to help her with.

Maybe she needs someone to talk to; I don't really know what she needs, but I'm hoping I can be there for her, whether its a shoulder to lean on or to be able to wrap her up in a tight embrace. I feel something for her that I've never really felt before and it's so calm and peaceful... which in turn scares the shit out of me.

Maybe I was thinking too much. Maybe I was reading her wrong. Maybe she was just tired and I was making something out of nothing.

But I know. And I've never felt something so right in my entire life.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support! 

**{Chapter Thirteen}**

**{POV: Violet}**

I felt my mobile buzz in my jacket pocket, expecting it to be Landon, with the typical “what are you wearing tonight? oh please let me come over and pick something out for you!” text. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised with a text from Benedict.

“Shall we grab drinks before dinner?”

My lips curled up into a smirk as I let the thought of whiskey combined with Benedict infect my head. “Certainly.”

“6:45, then? Shall I pick you up?”

“That’s not necessary, I can meet you somewhere.”

“Ah, but I don’t want the peonies to wilt.”

I smiled softly to myself. “More flowers? You mustn't spoil me, Benedict Cumberbatch.”

"You deserve it, Miss Watson. I'll see you at 6:45."

"Can't wait. :)" _Oh God. Did I really just send a smiley face?_

"Shall we meet earlier, then? Because I, for one, cannot wait either. ;)"

"6:30pm. Don't be late."

*****

I let my fingertips fall to the short, flared navy floral skirt adorning my waist and then to the fitted v-neck silk sweater hugging my torso. I sighed anxiously, twirling in the floor to ceiling large mirror in my closet, contemplating on which pair of heels to wear.

"The navy ones. Matches the sweater and skirt perfectly. Pink would be too obvious," I turned around to a beaming Landon.

"Ah, thank you, love. You know I always need your fashion advice."

Landon grabbed the pair of Manolos off the shelf in front of me and handed them over. "You look gorgeous, Violet. He's not going to be able to keep his eye off of you,"

"That's the point, Landon." I winked at him and pulled my heels on, the smooth silk surrounding my feet. "God I love these shoes."

He laughed. "You love all shoes, Violet. If you buy anymore you're not going to have anymore room."

"Rubbish. I can always make room!"

The phone rang, right on time, of course. Landon jumped up and picked up the receiver in the master bedroom. "Yes? Send him up. Thank you," He walked back into my closet and grabbed my Kate Spade Topliner trench coat from the rack beside him. "I'll bring this downstairs for you. You look gorgeous. And please, love, have fun!"

I smiled at him. "I'll do my best, Landon." I turned back towards the mirror, fluffing out my long, dark waves and checked over my makeup for the last time. _Not too bad, Violet._ I grabbed the pink suede clutch that matched the flowers on my skirt perfectly and made my way downstairs.

For once, my nerves were at ease and I felt eerily calm. There were no pre-date jitters; no wondering if we would be faced with an awkward silence; the knowledge that we have a mutual attraction to one another.

Both Benedict’s and Landon’s voices floated across the living room and I followed them to the kitchen. Benedict looked stunning, of course, in a pair of gray trousers, a white button down shirt, a blue patterned tie, navy cardigan and a blue tweed coat.

Noticing the sound of my heels on the marble floor, he turned. “Violet,” He beamed. “You look radiant.” He took my hand in his and brought it gently to his lips.

_Did he really just… yes, of course he did._ I smiled at him. "You look quite dashing yourself, Cumberbatch."

Landon's voice interrupted the moment between Benedict and I; my hand still in his, our eyes locked. "I'm putting your flowers together, Violet, because let's be honest, I'm much better at this than you are." He smirked.

"Suit yourself, Landon." I winked at him and took hold of my coat on the back of the bar stool.

Benedict stood beside me. "Shall we?" He motioned towards the elevator.

"Yes, please."

*****

We sat at a private, candle lit table overlooking the Thames, the light fog of alcohol still present and floating in our minds and bodies.

“Oh, Violet,” Benedict laughed, “you’re so…”

“So?” I smirked, taking the glass of wine in my hand. “Please, finish, I’d love to know what you really think of me.”

“You’re so eager; to learn, to see, to experience.” He rolled up his sleeves on his shirt and I couldn’t help but to notice his perfectly sculpted forearms. _Delicious._ “And not to mention exquisite. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone quite like you. So headstrong, independent, knows what she wants.”

“I’m not always so headstrong, you know. I can be emotional, and indecisive, and frustrating. Somehow that’s always a factor in my past relationships. They think I’m something I’m not, or that I’ll change just for them, and I can’t do that to myself.” _I wanted him to know that I wasn’t perfect. He needed to know my faults and downfalls before he made me out to be this woman who has it all together._

He nodded slowly and took a sip of his wine. “We all have our faults, Violet. It took me one long relationship to figure out that not everything needs to be perfect.”

“Is that so? What’s the longest you’ve been in a relationship?”

He was hesitant, drawing a slight breath before answering. “Ten years or so. It was a difficult decision, but made with the best intention.”

_Ten years. Hmm. Shows that he has the will for commitment._

“Does that scare you off?” He inquired, taking the wine glass in his hand.

I furrowed my brows. “Why would that scare me off?”

“Being with someone for so long, there’s still parts of me that miss her. And of course I’ll always love her, she’ll always have a special place in my heart and mind.”

“I guess I just don’t understand,” I admitted, my eyes trailing to the window, the lit up London Bridge in the background.

Benedict took a sip of wine before inquiring. “What don’t you understand?”

“I look at things differently. I mean, when I think about my relationship with Bradley, albeit we were only together for six years, I don’t love him or yearn for him anymore. I saw it as an opportunity to further myself and my career.”

“And so why did you two end it?”

I smirked. “I was offered the internship position at Royal London and he wasn’t, so he accepted the same position in Africa.”

“Have you ever been in love, Violet?” His question caught me off guard.

I nodded. “Sure,”

“Completely in love? Head over heels? Do anything for the other person?”

_My, he was persistent._

I stopped nodding and opened my mouth, attempting to speak, but the words never came. He continued looking at me, and I could feel him judging me. _This poor girl has never been in love; what’s wrong with her?_

His next statement surprised me. “You never let yourself, did you?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I couldn’t. I loved my job more.”

“And now?”

“And now?” I repeated, scoffing slightly. “I don't know anymore. I don’t regret what I’ve done in the past to further my career, but now it seems to be more difficult than I imagined.”

“I’m sure for the right person it will seem right, and you’ll just know. I admire the love and respect you have for your career, Violet.”

I smiled at him. “If I feel as if you are worth my time, I’ll give you that opportunity. I know that sounds pretentious, but, sometimes you have to be. I get calls at all hours of the night, from nurses, interns, other doctors; all regarding my patients, whose parents have entrusted me with the health care of their child. And I’m going to do whatever is necessary for them, regardless if that means I’m skipping out on a date or late to dinner or interrupting my breakfast.”

“And what about sex?” He inquired, his lips curling into a devious smile.

I shook my head and a light chuckle escaped my lips. “Sex? Oh, Benedict. Nothing interrupts sex.”

“Is that a promise?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Are you assuming that I’m going to sleep with you?”

“I can only hope, Violet.”

_Cheeky little bastard._

*****

After our main course and a delicious dessert of chocolate ganache pie, we sat at the table, enjoying the company of one another. He reached across the small square table and took my hand, laying next to my wine glass.

“I don’t want to leave you yet,”

_And I didn’t want to leave him yet; the conversation, the rising sexual tension, the way he made me feel absolutely divine, the comfortable nature that surrounded us. I knew he wanted me, I could feel it, sense it. But it wasn’t the right time, both he and I knew that without having to even say a word._

“Well, we don’t have to,” I responded, his fingertips circling over my hand, making my heart beat faster than normal.

He smiled. “Why don’t we head back to your flat? Maybe watch a movie? A simple, relaxing night is in the cards for me tonight, I don’t know about you.”

“That sounds perfect, Benedict.”

After paying for the bill and gathering our coats, he opened the door of the restaurant open for me, and with a hand on my lower back, he lead me out onto the sidewalk where a car was waiting for us.

“Benedict, we could have taken the metro,” I smiled up at him.

He turned towards me and laid his hands on my arms. “I just wanted you to myself, Violet.” He let his hand fall to mine and enveloped it entirely. His long, protruding fingers grasped around my delicate hand, a wave of relief and happiness soaring up my arm and through my body.

Once again, he opened the door for me and we were off towards my flat. His fingertips circled my hand; his sparkling green eyes roamed over my face, stopping at my lips. The anxiety continued to rise around us, and without saying a word, he simply smiled at me and I felt as if my heart would burst out of my chest.

We finally arrived at my building, his hand still grasping onto mine.

“Good evening, Dr. Watson,” The doorman stood up from his desk at the entryway. “Your mother dropped off a few packages for you. She said she left a note with them, just didn’t want to bother you.”

“Thank you, Frank,” I replied, walking towards the elevator. He pushed the button for me and smiled. “You’re welcome, Dr. Watson. Enjoy your evening.”

Benedict squeezed my hand as the elevator doors opened and we both stepped into it. Before I had a chance to even catch my breath, he turned towards me, his chest merely inches from my own. He dropped my hand, and as the elevator doors closed, he enveloped my head in his hands, and his lips came crashing to mine.

He backed me up to the side of the elevator, our lips still pressed firmly to one anothers, my hands grasping the lapels of his coat. A soft moan escaped my throat as his tongue found mine and I pulled him even closer, the heat rising from my body.

As the elevator doors opened into my flat, he broke the kiss, his thumb tracing my lower lip.

“I could kiss you all night,” He whispered, dropping his other hand to my waist.

I smiled. “And what’s stopping you?”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support! 

**{Chapter Fourteen}**

Violet and Benedict met at The Table cafe the next morning for brunch, as Benedict wanted to spend as much time as he could with her before he had to leave for Los Angeles.

"This place must be amazing for you to make me travel all the way to South Bank," She smiled at him softly while perusing through the menu in her hands.

Benedict winked at her and set his menu down, taking a sip of his orange juice. "I'm just glad you made time for me today."

"I could get used to making time for you."

"Is that a promise?"

Violet chuckled. "That's a... we'll see where time takes us."

"Where would you like to see time take us?" Benedict inquired, a small smile settling on his lips.

"Wherever we're meant to be, of course."

The waiter came over and retrieved their orders; Scrambled Eggs + Oak Smoked Salmon and a White Peach Bellini for Violet and pancakes for Benedict.

"And where would you like to see time take us, Benedict?"

"As long as it's with you, it doesn't really matter."

Violet raised her eyebrows. "You hardly know me."

"But I'd like to know everything about you."

"Are you sure about that? It seems as if you have quite a busy schedule."

He nodded. "I do, but don't you as well?"

"Ah, there's a difference though. I'm always in London, except for a few conferences I choose to attend. It's true, I am a busy person, but, I try to make time for those who I feel deserve it." Violet smiled over at him softly.

"Does that turn you away from me, Violet?"

"If it turned me away from you, Benedict, I wouldn't have had dinner with you."

He smiled. "And kissed me."

"Yes. And kissed you."

"I enjoy kissing you, Violet. About as much as I enjoy having you in my company."

Violet sighed softly. "You do realize that I work a lot? That I'm practically married to my job?"

"Yes. Of course I realize that. And so am I. I'm away a lot, filming, going on press tours, auditions. There are times that I'll be gone for weeks and weeks at a time."

She nodded slowly, attempting to think about how their relationship would work. She's a planner; feels as if she has to have a plan or a list to properly plan her future - whether it be one day, one week, or six months.

"I like you, Violet. And something beyond this world is pulling me towards you, so you're not going to get away easily."

"This is just different for me, so," She trailed off, getting lost in his sparkling hazel stare.

"I know, Violet. We'll take it slow. I'd like to really get to know who you are as a person."

"So is this what we're going to leave it at? Taking it slow, getting to know me?" Violet inquired, laying her hands in her lap gingerly.

"If you'll let me." Benedict's voice was the most sincere she had ever witnessed.

"Absolutely."

*****

Violet's lips curled into a smile as she picked up her mobile from the nightstand beside her bed.

"If you came upon a magic lamp and had three wishes to make, what would they be? BC"

"Benedict. Shouldn't you be getting ready for the Oscars?"

Benedict rolled the mobile over in his hands, the wish to hear her voice weighed heavily on his mind. "I had a free moment and you were on my mind. BC"

"Three wishes?"

"Yes, Violet. You're on a beach on holiday, come across this magnificent lamp, and a genie pops out. Poof! You have three wishes. BC"

Violet chuckled to herself, taking a few minutes to really think about what she would do. Of course this would never happen, the cynic in her wanted to point out. But she couldn’t burst his bubble. "One: To give every single person on the planet everything they need. Two: The cure for all health ailments. Three: To be happy. Maybe I'd trade my third wish in for more wishes… ;) "

"But if you had the cure for health ailments, you wouldn’t have a job. BC”

“Then I’d be a writer.” Violet hesitated, never the one for giving up secrets about herself harvesting in her mind.

“A writer? I didn’t realize you had an interest. BC” Benedict answered the knock at the door and let his publicist in. He smiled as he awaited her reply, grateful for the fact that she was beginning to open up.

“I’ve always had an interest. I’ve just preferred to read instead.”

“I’m being yelled at, Violet. So although I hate to, I must continue to get ready. BC”

Violet smiled, the thought of him in a tux… “Have fun, Benedict. I’ll be rooting for you.”

“Well, it’s not me, per say… BC”

Violet rolled her eyes. She wished he wouldn’t say things like that. “Don’t say that, you were a part of it. Cannot wait to watch you present as well, I’ve missed your voice.”

Benedict beamed. “You’re wonderful, Violet Watson. I’ll be thinking of you. BC”

Violet sighed, rereading the messages, her mind spinning. She wanted to open up with him so badly, but was terrified of the outcome. She didn’t have enough trust in anyone, truthfully, so for her to yearn for this closeness was unexpected. She kept having all of these “what if” thoughts: what if he couldn’t handle her schedule; what if she couldn’t handle his? What if she fell for him?

For once, she couldn’t plan out this situation. The lack of control with her current surroundings made her truly uncomfortable - anxious, even. This part of her would terrify him, wouldn’t it? The urge to question everything was heavy; yet how could he seem so right?


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support! 

**{Chapter Fifteen}**

Violet settled into her seat on the train and took the book from her messenger bag, attempting to relax after a terribly stressful day at the hospital. She was exhausted, starving, and every bone/muscle was aching in her body. 

Days like today made her ache for a companion. Someone to be there when she got home, with a hot cup of her favorite tea. Someone she could spout off her worries to and complain about the terrible day that she had. 

The mobile in her pocket buzzed, and she sat the book down hastily in her lap. She just knew it was the hospital, and was dreading answering the message. Instead, she was pleasantly surprised with an email from Benedict, entitled “love after love”. 

 

_the time will come_

_when, with elation_

_you will greet yourself arriving_

_at your own door, in your own mirror_

_and each will smile at the other's welcome,_

_and say, sit here. eat._

_you will love again the stranger who was your self._

_give wine. give bread. give back your heart_

_to itself, to the stranger who has loved you_

_all your life, whom you ignored_

_for another, who knows you by heart._

_take down the love letters from the bookshelf,_

_the photographs, the desperate notes,_

_peel your own image from the mirror._

_sit. feast on your life._

 

‘Of course he would,’ She thought warily, staring at the small screen intently. Her chest grew heavy at the thought of him; copying the Derek Walcott poem into a single email, wherever he was. 

The last 30 hours had been such a blur, and honestly, she had no idea where he was even at. The thought of him began to infect her mind, again. 

She was terrified. Terrified of how she was feeling towards this man; terrified of letting go and not taking control over the situation; terrified that he was going to break her heart. 

She wanted to let go from the cord she clung to tightly. The cord of control, where she and she alone made her choices of what she was going to do in order to control the situation around her. 

The mere idea of letting go and falling into this abyss was more than she could handle. Maybe he was right; maybe she should start letting go more often, letting others handle their own situations. 

Her eyes traveled to the small screen at the front of the carriage, her stop was coming up. She slid her book into her bag and stood, the thought of Benedict still wreaking havoc on her mind. 

That night, that glorious night where he kissed her, she wanted to let everything go. All her worries, all her fears, and give in to the temptation of Benedict Cumberbatch completely. 

Violet was known for her strong sense of character and moral judgment. Independence wasn’t just a trait, it is who she is as a woman. She kept having the “what if” moments of their pending relationship; his schedule, her schedule, his stardom, her commitment to being a top ranked surgeon. 

As she was walking to her building, her thoughts continued to grow. She knew she wanted him, so what was she holding onto? The fear of being heartbroken? 

‘That’s life, Violet,’ She murmured to herself, understanding the situation more and more. Fear is a part of life. As much as we try and hide ourselves from the “real world”, there’s nothing we can do about it. 

Make the change you wish to see. 

Do good things. 

Love wholeheartedly. 

Seize the day. 

But most importantly, don’t hold back on who you really are. 

*****

Benedict stepped through the elevator doors and into Violet’s flat, where he noticed her messenger bag and light jacket on the hook in the hallway and her Nike trainers at the end of the hall. 

He stepped into the reception room and almost called her name, until he noticed her sound asleep on the couch. His lips curled into a soft smile as he quietly walked through the living room, his eyes trailing her body. 

Her teal scrub pants hung low on her waist, the fitted grey t-shirt was partly pulled up, allowing the delicate skin on her lower back to be revealed. 

He resisted the urge to caress her skin tenderly with his fingertips. Instead, he sat on the couch and brought his hand to the side of her face, cupping her cheek gently. 

“Violet,” He whispered, his thumb caressing her cheekbone. 

Violet inhaled deeply, her eyes fluttering open. 

“Benedict,” She murmured, turning from her side and onto her back. “What are you doing here?” 

“I don’t have much time. I just wanted to come and see you for a moment, if that’s alright.” 

She sat up, facing him. “Of course that’s alright,” 

Benedict pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “I missed you, Miss Watson.” 

Violet nuzzled her cheek into his chest. “Is that so,” She chuckled. “I didn’t even know you were back in London.” 

“I wanted to surprise you.” 

“Well, you succeeded.” She closed her eyes, taking in his masculine, woody scent. His chest might have been taut but it molded to her face perfectly. 

His hand fell from her back, checking his watch for the time. “And now I have to go. I told you I only had a few minutes. I have to get to a meeting downtown.” 

Violet pulled her head from his chest and looked up at him. “Are you serious?” 

He nodded his head. 

“You’re such a tease.” She scrunched her nose, pulling a chuckle from Benedict. 

“I know, I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I just wanted to see you.” He brought his hands to her face, cradling her head gently. His lips crashed onto hers, his tongue parting her lips, ensuing a soft moan from her. He continued kissing Violet passionately, her fingers gripping the lapels of his jacket, pulling him closer to her. 

She broke the kiss reluctantly, Benedict’s right hand fell from her cheek and trailed down her neck. “What are your plans tonight?” 

Violet bit her bottom lip softly, his hand on her neck so tenderly combined with the sincerity of his voice had brought a slight pull to her stomach. She shook her head. “Uh, I, don’t think I have any,” 

Benedict smiled at her. “Have dinner with me tonight.” 

“Okay,” Violet nodded her head, her gaze still intent on his. 

“That was easy.” He chuckled, his voice growing deeper. 

Violet shrugged. “Kiss me like that anytime you want me to agree to something, Benedict.” 

He kissed the tip of her nose softly. “I’ll remember that.” 

*****

Violet stepped out of the cab, the grey chiffon of her short, billowy dress flowed around her thighs gently. The restaurant in front of her appeared to be closed, but this was the exact location that Benedict had given her moments ago. 

She pulled the old, wooden + glass front door towards her and stepped into the small establishment cautiously. Her eyes traveled across the closed restaurant, taking in the bare butcher block tables and the comfortable still of the environment around her. 

She admired the old, black and white photographs on the wall, depicting London from the early 1900’s to just a few weeks ago. They were brilliant photos; the residential walkways of Notting Hill, Westminster Parliament, the Covent Garden theatre, South Bank’s graffiti in the undercroft. 

“I happened to wander in here one night looking for some peace and quiet,” Benedict walked up behind Violet and laid his left hand gently on the small of her back. 

“Is that so?” Violet turned and smiled at him, her eyes drawing back to the photograph lined wall. 

“I come back to it all the time; it seems to give me the tranquility that I so desperately need. Anyways, I wanted to do something nice for you, Violet. A nice, quiet dinner, just the two of us.” 

“Well, this place is charming, Benedict.” She turned her eyes to him, giving him the attention he needed. 

"I'd like to think so too." He made his way to the front door and locked it, turning back around and clasping his hands together. "I'd like to show you upstairs, Violet." 

Violet raised her eyebrows. "And what's upstairs, Benedict?" 

Benedict winked at her. "Dinner, of course." 

"Splendid. I'm starving!" Violet's sparkling gaze met his and he took his hand in hers gently. 

"Shall we?" Benedict pointed to the narrow staircase to his right, where he followed her up to the private top floor. 

Violet gasped softly as she arrived at the top of the staircase. The open ceiling was littered with clear string lights, illuminating the floor space with a soft, romantic glow. There was one square table in the middle of the room, which Benedict led her to. 

"I hope you don't mind, but I had them prepare a set course for tonight. A combination of items I think you'll enjoy, Violet." He pulled out the chair from one side and gestured to it. "Although I admit I don't know you as well as I'd like to, I think this will please you." 

"Benedict," Violet started, her hand landing on the front of his crisp, white button up. "You know how much I hate relinquishing control, but sometimes its nice to not have to think." 

His lips met hers in a single motion, his left hand finding its way to her cheek, his thumb caressing her soft, supple skin. "Do you like relinquishing control in the bedroom, too?" 

Violet broke the kiss suddenly. "That's a conversation that we're not going to have yet, Benedict. Patience, darling." 

Benedict shook his head. "Patience," He repeated, as she sat down in the chair beside him. He laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it softly. 

"And it's not just in the bedroom, Benedict. Everywhere." 

He raised his eyebrows and smirked as he sat down across from her. "I learn something different about you every single day, Violet Watson."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support! 

**{Chapter Sixteen}**

“What are you thinking about, Violet?” Benedict inquired as the two were soaking in the rare London sunshine at the park for an afternoon of relaxation. 

“I’m reading, Benedict, so I’m not thinking about much.” Violet smiled and faced him, her head resting gently on his chest. 

Benedict plucked the book from her hands. “The Conduct of Life,” He murmured, turning the gray book over. “Is it any good?” 

“I’m enjoying it very much. Would you like to borrow it when I'm done?" She reached for the book but he pulled it away from her, a smirk curling on his lips. 

"Yes, please. I have a busy spring filled with long plane rides, so the more books the better. Unless, of course, you would like to join me..." He trailed off, handing the book back to Violet, yet grasped it firmly when her fingers wrapped around the spine. 

Violet sat up slowly, resting her hands on either side of his chest. "What are you asking me, Benedict," 

"Come to Malaysia with me." 

"Come to Malaysia with you?" She repeated, tilting her head softly. 

"Yes. At the end of March. I've been told that you need a vacation, and this would be the perfect treat." He leaned up and took off his sunglasses, sticking the arm in the front of his shirt. 

Violet sighed heavily. "Oh Benedict," 

He smiled and pulled the sunglasses from her face. "Do you want me to beg you? Get on my knees?" 

Violet laughed. "Benedict, don't be dirty, there's children around." 

He laid his lips on hers, kissing her gently. "Ah, there's a time and place for that, if I'm not mistaken." 

Violet smiled at him. "Yes, there is." 

"So... Malaysia?" He smiled at her deeply, his eyes trailing her face for any sign of hesitance. 

She had the urge to say _I can't, I'm busy, I don't think it's a good idea_ , but wanted to give the situation a chance before she made up excuses. "Let me check my calendar," 

"That sounds like a yes, if I may say so." He cradled her head in his hands gently, his lips falling into hers again. 

Violet chuckled. "Well, I'm learning, slowly, how to say yes and do what I'd really like to do." 

"So that is a yes!" 

"That's a yes, Benedict." She nodded softly, biting her bottom lip. 

"Are you nervous about it; traveling with me? Sleeping with me?" He inquired, running the tip of his index finger from her forehead down to the tip of her nose. 

"Nervous?" She chuckled. "Why would I be nervous? Nothing so far has turned me away from you." 

"So far," He repeated, tapping his fingertip on her top lip. "Come to a party with me this weekend." He smiled at her. "Please." 

"Well since you said please..." 

Benedict leaned over and placed his lips on hers, a passionate kiss ensuing. His hand trailed down her throat and landed at the nape of her neck. 

Violet drew in a deep breath. "You know I can never resist you after something like that," 

He tucked a strand of her brunette waves behind her ear. "Ah," He replied, his green eyes shining bright. "That's my plan." 

*****

Andrew smiled at Violet from across the table. "So you're going with him to Malaysia!" 

Violet nodded. "I am." 

"Well, that's a big step, Violet, going with him somewhere..." He took a sip of his wine and leaned back in his chair. 

"I don't think it's that big of a step, Andrew. We're taking it slow, getting to know each other. Traveling together is just a formality, why not do it now so I know what I may or may not be getting into?" 

Andrew nodded, his eyebrows raising. "True. You really like him, don't you?" 

Violet smiled. "I do. He makes me laugh. Makes me think. Makes me feel." 

"And that boy is smitten with you, Watson. That look he gets when speaking about you... I just wish you could see it." He raised his eyebrows and winked at her. “Have you two gotten dirty yet?” 

“No. I’m making him wait for it.” Violet smirked. 

“Ugh, you’re so cruel, Violet. I mean, look at you, I’m sure he’s salivating to get his hands on you.” Andrew took another sip of wine, his gaze intent on her reaction. 

“And I don’t want this to be another ‘let’s have sex all the time and ignore your feelings’ fling. I’m finally doing something the way I want it to be done, Andrew, which is a big thing for me, you know.” 

"I know it is. And I'm proud of you, finally standing up and giving yourself something you deserve." 

Violet shrugged, a pink blush growing on her cheeks. "Sometimes I feel like a child. So sheltered." 

"I think you sheltered yourself for a damn good reason, so it's not childish, you were doing what needed to be done for the sake of your career. And now, it's time to relax and do what you want." 

"Which is a certain tall, brown headed individual with amazing green eyes." 

Andrew chuckled and winked at her. "You're terrible."


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support!

**{Chapter Seventeen}**

Benedict took Violet’s hand in his and brought up to his lips, kissing it gently. “Did you have a nice time tonight?”

“Of course I did, I've already told you twice,” She winked at him from the seat beside him in the cab.

“Yes, yes. I just wanted to make sure.” He dropped her hand to his thigh, keeping his on top protectively. “And now what are we going to do, Miss Watson?”

She smiled at him and squeezed his thigh. “Landon arrived back from Paris tonight. He brought me pastries, if you’re interested.”

“Between you, pastries, and champagne, I think I’m at my sweets max tonight.” He leaned over and kissed her lips softly.

She smiled at him. “Tell me something, Benedict.”

“Yes, Violet?”

She turned in her seat towards him. “What drives you?”

"Drives me?" He repeated, a smile forming on his lips. "You mean, my career, my personal life..."

She shrugged. "Both."

"Passion. Once, there was a moment in my life where I almost gave up completely - on everything! I was continually questioning myself; 'was I really meant to do this?' 'is this really worth all this effort?'. I was terrified that it wouldn’t work out and I’d become a failure, and at many times, I felt like such. I wanted to make my parents proud, and I just knew that if I continued to work hard and pour everything I have into what I do, it would come out alright. ”

“Benedict,” She scolded, narrowing her eyes slightly, “you’ve never been a failure. At anything you do.”

He smiled at her. “You haven’t seen any of my old work, then?”

“What does it matter? Without it, you wouldn’t have gotten to where you are now, correct?”

“Correct. Do you always think with such positivity?”

She smirked. “Most of the time. But it’s what I do, I work with children, I can’t be negative, they wouldn’t allow it.”

He chuckled. “Do you want children, Violet?”

She hesitated, her mind growing with each passing second. Of course she did, she ached to eventually have a child of her own, but with her schedule? “Eventually, yes, I would love to.”

“Why the hesitation?”

“It’s a terrifying thing, to be honest. Bringing another human being into this world, with all the bad things surrounding us. I’d love to be able to look down at a child, my child, and exclaim breathlessly, ‘I made that’. And of course there are other factors that need to be in play to make these things happen."

He chuckled. “Other factors?"

"Well, for starters, there has to be a man, a man whom I'm preferably in love with at the time."

"Ah, yes, a man. That is needed, isn't it?" He winked at her. "I can also see your hesitation, Violet. With what you do everyday, it is terrifying to think about.”

“Yes, it is, which I thought would make it worse, but it only seems to feed my want of a child. But thank goodness I have other siblings who have children, otherwise I’m sure my mother would’ve been pressuring me a lot sooner.”

“How many other siblings do you have?”

“Three. Two brothers, one sister. Mark is the oldest. He’s a lawyer, has a wife, two kids. Scarlett is married, she’s a chef, has two kids. Landon, well, works with my mother, is with Marcus, no intentions of children. And then there’s me.”

He smiled. “And then there’s you. My favorite." He leaned back into his seat and sighed softly. "I enjoy having serious conversations with you, Violet. Learning more about you and how your mind works, it just means a lot. At first, I admit, I was unsure over how you wanted to start this relationship, as it was so different than from what I've been accustomed to."

"Listen, Benedict. I know you've probably been around many, many women who do not feel the same as me, and that's fine. But for the last few years, all I've had - relationship wise - in my life have been a string of men who don't respect what I do, and all it's turned into is a meaningless sex filled affair. It's pointless, void, irresponsible. And I'm tired of it."

He smiled at her, his eyes softening. "I'm not complaining, Violet. I am thoroughly enjoying spending this time with you - much more than I thought I would, to be honest. But slowing down and getting on the same level has been a completely eye opening experience. It's nice to finally relax and not focus on one sole aspect of a relationship - sex - while exploring a whole other side of each other."

Violet smiled. "I'm just glad you understand what I'm saying. Most just don't understand, or worse, won't take the time to understand."

"I think it helps that we're both busy people who understand that our careers mean a lot to us."

"Well thank you, Benedict."

"Ah, no, thank YOU Miss Watson."

*****

Violet rolled over in her empty bed, glancing at the clock on the nightstand. It was close to three in the morning and she was wide awake, with one thing on her mind: Benedict.

That man made her feel as if she was on top of the world, breathing in an entirely new type of oxygen she had never before experienced. The company that he brought her was undeniably perfect - his humor, his intelligence, his thoughts; everything that surrounded him was intoxicating.

Anytime she was with him, he had the unique ability to make her feel completely at ease and comfortable enough to open up about who she really is.

Violet's not just an over-worked pediatric surgeon. She's a runner, a reader, a shoe obsessed shopaholic, a music lover, a fighter for her beliefs. She's quiet, shy, holds her tongue, reluctant to trust. She itched for the opportunity to tell Benedict about the things she kept inside, and couldn't wait for the moment to open up.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay! Life has been absurd, but finally, I'm getting caught back up. As always: this work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support!

**{Chapter Eighteen}**

_Malaysia_

Benedict groaned as the alarm sounded on his mobile and reluctantly sat up on the large hotel bed. He silenced it in a haste and threw the phone back onto the table beside the bed, turning over to check on Violet, who was still sound asleep next to him. A smile spread on his lips as he watched her peaceful slumber, her chest rising and falling with each soft breath she took.

He turned at the sound of the soft knock on the door and smiled at his publicist. “I know, I know,” He mumbled, sighing heavily.

She shut the door softly and he turned back to Violet, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Violet,"

"Yes," She groaned, her eyes still shut tight with exhaustion.

He chuckled. "We need to get ready for dinner. Would you like to join me for a shower?"

"Benedict Cumberbatch," She opened her eyes slowly. "You just want to see me naked."

"Well," He started, cocking his right eyebrow, his lips curling into a smirk. "why wouldn't I?"

She brought her hands to the nape of his neck and pulled him towards her. "Then let's go take a shower." She kissed his lips softly, her thumbs caressing the front of his throat.

He moaned, biting his bottom lip. "Why don't you go get the shower started and I'll get our clothes ready?"

"So now you're choosing what clothes I wear?"

He chuckled. "Landon gave me permission."

"Oh, I'm sure he did."

"I can't help it. You have an amazing body with a wardrobe better than mine. I'm jealous." He kissed her quickly. "Now... shower." He flicked his eyebrows and smirked as he slowly rolled off the bed.

Violet stepped into the glass enclosure of the tile shower, the warm water from the rain showerheads cascading onto her body gently. She breathed deeply, inhaling the natural eucalyptus scent from the leaves hanging in the corner and closed her eyes, basking in the complete relaxation. She would be the first person to admit that everyone has their own sexual needs, while some may think about it often, others may not. She wanted it to mean something special, pleasurable, can't live without it.

Not everyone had the same inhibitions, which is what made the human race so interesting. Finding out what turned the other person on was always an enjoyable task - some didn't like to talk about it, while others thrived on their enjoyable experiences.

Violet turned her head towards Benedict's light touch on her shoulder.

"Deep in thought?" Benedict chuckled as his hands fell to her shoulders, pulling her naked body towards his. The sweet touch of her bare back leaned up against his chest brought a smile to his lips and a tug in his heart.

"Something like that," She responded coyly, leaning her head up against his shoulder.

"Are you going to tell me what's on your mind?"

She chuckled. "Sex." Oh how she wished she could've witnessed the look on his face...

He smiled, his eyes growing wide. "Sex? Like right now?"

"No," She laughed lightly. "Why are people so shy on speaking about sex? What they like, what they don't like, what turns them on, what brings them to the edge?"

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her chest, her hands falling to his forearms lightly. "They probably don't know what they like. Maybe they've never quite been as adventorous as they would have preferred to be."

She furrowed her eyebrows in an attempt to process the fact of how people were so out of tune with their own bodies.

"Tell me, Violet," He whispered, his voice growing deep, his lips resting on her ear lobe. "What do you like?" His right hand slowly dropped from her shoulder, his fingertips sliding across her ivory skin effortlessly.

"Well, it depends on my mood..." She trailed off, a slight catch in her breath as his long, slender fingers cupped her breast.

"Your mood?" He repeated, his thumb and index finger gently caressing her nipple.

"Yes, my mood," She bit her bottom lip as she pressed her lower back into his abdomen. "I usually prefer to keep all control, but sometimes its nice to relinquish that. Whether its hard, or soft, or I ask you to tie me up, or I slap you and tell you exactly what to do... it just depends on the mood."

Benedict was taken aback. Never before had a woman been so bluntly honest with him regarding their sexual likes and wants. "Tell me more, Violet,"

She turned to face him, his hand dropping to her waist. Slowly, he pushed her up against the cool tile of the shower wall.

The corners of her lips turned into a devious smirk. "Shouldn't we be getting ready for our dinner reservations?"

"You're right," He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, his tongue parting her lips. She moaned softly as it entangled with hers, his hand gripping her hip firmly. "We should continue this conversation when we get back from dinner."

"Is that a promise?"

He chuckled. "Yes, darling. It will be the only thing on my mind for the entire night. Trust me."

*****

"Violet?" Benedict called out into bathroom hurriedly, buttoning the crisp white shirt as he made his way into the steam filled room. He stepped back, his eyes adjusting to the foggy haze, watching as Violet wrapped the fluffy white towel around her dewy torso.

"I'm sorry, darling, but I forgot about a fan session before dinner." His thumb and forefinger took ahold of her chin, pulling it up gently to his lips. "David and Eliot will be here soon to take you over to the restaurant and then I'll meet you over there, alright?"

"Promise me you won't keep me waiting?"

He kissed her again. "I promise."

After Benedict left, Violet headed into the closet to put the finishing touches on getting herself ready for the night. She ran her fingers over the short, billowy dress hanging up in front of her, the pleated maroon chiffon of the skirt slipping through her fingers, which she traced up to the gold sequined yoke bodice.

While digging through her luggage, she pulled a navy blue lace overlay bustier and a matching pair of panties out of a soft velvet bag. A smile spread on her lips as she brought the set out to the bed and set it out, examining the satin and lace carefully.

"Hmm," She whispered to herself, her index finger tapping against her freshly cleansed skin of her chin. "I think I shall,"


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is full of SMUT! NSFW. Apologies for the delay! Life has been absurd, but finally, I'm getting caught back up. As always: this work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support!

**{Chapter Nineteen}**

**Malaysia**

Benedict pulled Violet into the door of their hotel room so quickly she barely had enough time to squeal with surprise or desire. His lips crashed to hers hungrily, pulling her body closer to taste every inch of her.

Violet let out a soft moan as his fingers entwined themselves in her hair, twisting the dark strands tightly until they met her scalp. She took the lapels of his coat in her fingers and pulled the jacket off of him quickly, throwing it in the chair to their left. She wrapped her fingers around his neck, her fingernails digging into his skin.

With his hand still entangled at the nape of her neck, he pulled her tight against the wall beside them and pressed his chest against hers. He trailed his lips from her jawline and down her neck, his hand pulling her head back gently, allowing his lips to caress the smooth skin. She dropped her hands, her fingertips slowly unbuttoning the crisp white shirt from his chest.

"How do you want it, Violet?" His voice grew deeper with each word, invoking a pull in her stomach.

"Every way possible," She moaned, running her hands across his bare chest.

He turned towards her and smirked. "Every way?!" He exclaimed, his eyes growing wide.

She took hold of the button plackets on his shirt tightly and raised her eyebrows. "No." She planted a kiss on his lips and pulled away from him, slowly making her way to the bedroom. "Undress me, Cumberbatch."

Benedict followed behind her, peeling the shirt from his body. He placed his hands on her shoulders, his fingertips trailing the neckline of her dress, grasping the zipper pull tightly. "Are you sure about this, Violet?"

She turned around to face him, placing her hands on her hips. "Benedict, I want you; I want your lips, I want your hands. And I want them all over my body."

He nodded his head slowly, his sparkling eyes catching hers, a smile beginning to form on his lips. "Oh, Miss Watson, I will do whatever you tell me to do." He grasped her shoulder lightly, letting his hand fall to the zipper pull once again.

Slowly, he pulled the zipper down and grasped the neckline of her dress, pulling it off her arms and dropping it, letting the material fall into a pool around her feet. His eyes fell to the navy bustier adorning her torso and breathed a heavy sigh.

"You're too beautiful for words," He scoffed, his voice barely above a whisper. His fingertips fell to the lingerie carefully, gripping the satin and lace tightly, pulling her closer towards him.

She blushed slightly. "Just shut up and kiss me." Her lips crashed onto his before he had the chance to respond. She rested her hands on his hips, trailing her fingers towards the waistband of his trousers. "These need to come off,"

He pulled his trousers off his waist in a hurry, a smile on his face. "I love it when you tell me what to do," He admitted, kissing her again.

She pulled back from him and narrowed her eyes. "Sit. On the couch." She pointed to the velvet couch beneath the window, her eyebrows raised.

His eyes grew wide and immediately sat in the middle of the couch, spreading his legs willingly.

She shook her head and chuckled. "Is it always this easy to tell you what to do?" She straddled him slowly, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Whatever you want, Violet." He ran his hands up her thighs, grabbing the taut flesh tightly. "I'm all yours." He bit his bottom lip softly, his eyes begging for her touch.

She kissed him passionately, wrapping her arms around his neck, her hand beginning to comb through his hair. She slowly slid her hips towards his, the soft satin of her underwear grazing over the growing bulge of his boxer-briefs.

Benedict reached his hand around the back of her bustier, taking the satin ribbon in his hand and untied the bow slowly. He continued placing kisses across her neck and chest, his fingers loosening the ribbon as she continued to entangle her fingers in his hair.

The satin ribbon was slowly pulled from its eyelets and fell to the floor. He gripped the bustier for the last time and threw it beside him, his hands immediately drawn to her chest. She moaned as his lips crashed onto her breast, taking her nipple in his mouth and softly nipping the sensitive bud.

Violet dropped a hand down his chest and traced her fingertips along the outline of his erect cock. He emitted a hiss of breath between his teeth and pulled his lips to hers, his tongue caressing her own. She sat up and slowly crawled off of him, kneeling in front of him and pulling his underwear from his legs quickly.

In an effort to witness her entirely, he combed his fingers through her hair, away from her face, grasping the strands tightly against her scalp. She took him completely in her hands, her fingertips slowly caressing his shaft, her thumb slowly grazing his head.

He let out a deep moan as her tongue and lips encircled his tip, throwing his head onto the back of the couch. As she took him entirely in her mouth, he lifted his head to watch as he felt his cock hit the back of her throat. He bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes as she continued to wreak havoc on him.

With a lewd slurp, she pulled him out of her mouth and stood up in front of him, taking her fingers and hooking them in the sides of her panties, pulling them from her legs. He sighed heavily, his eyes wide as he stared at her, memorizing the shape and contour of her body. She straddled him once again on the couch and took his cock into her hand.

Slowly, she sank onto him, a moan rolling off her lips as he filled her completely. “Fuck, Violet,” He dropped his hands to her hips, gripping the flesh tightly.

She rested her hands on his shoulders, her fingertips sprawling across his skin. Her lips met his with a passionate kiss, their tongues swirling around each others quickly. Her fingertips grew tighter against his skin and he groaned deeply in response, his hands guided her hips towards him, each time the motion faster than before.

In one quick movement, he wrapped his arms around her and threw her onto her back, the velvet material of the couch growing warm against her skin. He lifted her legs and laid them on his chest, his left arm steadying them tightly, while his right hand dropped to her chest, taking her breast in his fingers and gripping it tightly.

He continued to thrust, deeper and harder and as the minutes passed, her soft moans turned to groans as he continued to hit her sweet, sensitive spot. He spread her legs and leaned down, placing a kiss on her lips. “Get on the bed.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

He smirked at her. “Please.” He took her hands and helped her off the couch, following her quickly to bed. He crawled over her, placing his hands on her hips. “Turn over.”

Quickly, she turned onto her stomach, wriggling her hips towards his crotch. He chuckled, taking his hands and running them up and down her back. Her folds grazed the tip of his cock, teasing them both.

He took a fistful of hair from the back of her head and grabbed it tightly, his other hand planted firmly on her hip. With one fluid motion, he entered her, drawing a sharp groan from her lips.

“Fuck, Violet,” He breathed a heavy moan and leaned his head back.

“Just fuck me, Benedict.”

He pulled her head back tightly, his fingers tangled deep in her hair. His thrusts became heavier and quicker as the minutes continued to pass, both relishing in the pure ecstasy their bodies were giving them.

His grip tightened on her hip and slowly, she slid her hand to her abdomen, dipping low towards her center. “Oh, God, Benedict,” She mumbled into the pillow in her face, a moan ensuing after her fingertips found the swollen bud of her clit. She continued to work the sensitive nub until she felt herself draw closer to ecstasy.

“Harder,” She demanded, and quickly, he obeyed. He knew he couldn’t last much longer, and was willing to do whatever she needed to guarantee that she came first, and thankfully, that moment was seconds away. He watched as her back arched and how she clutched the comforter tightly, her moans and his name rolling off her lips.

After he felt her walls spasm against his cock, he spilled inside her, crying out her name. He released his grip on her scalp and dragged his fingertips along her spine. Once he was able to regain control of his breathing, he slid into the bed next to her, a smile on his face.

“Fucking hell, Violet. That was amazing.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and she smiled.

“And to think it will only get better…”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always: this work has not been beta'd. Please excuse any grammatical errors! Please feel free to leave any thoughts/suggestions; always helps to answer any questions. Thanks for the support!

**{Chapter Twenty}**

_Malaysia_

Benedict slid the iPhone from his pocket and brought his gaze to the small screen in front of his face, unlocking it carefully. His blissful stare remained intent on Violet, leaning over the counter in the bathroom, her strapless Mara Hoffman maxi dress draped over her curves like a second skin.

"Tell me something, Violet." He opened the camera and took a few photos of her in an effort to remember their time together for when they were apart. "Why did you want to become a surgeon?"

Violet squeezed a dollop of lotion from a bottle on the counter and rubbed her hands together, slowly spreading the lotion on her forearms, elbows, and biceps. "According to my mother, when I was a baby, I would cry nonstop. In the morning, evening, after I ate, while I ate... if I wasn't with my father." She turned to face him. "And since he's a surgeon, he was hardly ever so home. So my grandmother would take me to the hospital and I'd watch my father perform surgeries through the gallery. I practically grew up in that hospital, and being exposed to it that much, well, it was the only thing that ever made sense."

"Did your father ever try talking you out of becoming a surgeon?" He switched the camera to video with a smile on his face. He wanted to remember everything about her - the way she spoke, the way her eyes lit up excitedly, the way she moved about the room in such a graceful state.

Violet, unaware of his actions, continued walking towards him. "All the time. He warned me about never having any time to myself, or never possessing the energy to have and maintain proper relationships; but I didn't care. I knew that I was born to save lives and no one could have convinced me otherwise." She sat down across from him on the coffee table and rested her hands on his knees. "Now, I'm starved."

"You should be!" He locked his phone and slid it back in his pocket. "You were paddleboarding for hours this morning; I would be exhausted if I were you."

"Well that's why your friends are all passed out and left me to fend for myself."

He smiled. "That just means that I get you all to myself for a while." He leaned towards her and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her gently, his hands cupping her face. "Now, let's get some lunch, shall we?"

*****

"Violet, you understand why I'm trying to keep you out of the public, right?" Benedict took a bite of the tomato and watermelon salad in front of him, his gaze resting on Violet's sparkling blue eyes.

"Yes, and I appreciate it very much. Thankfully, you understand that I prefer to remain behind the scenes as much as humanly possible, as the last thing that I want is for something to force more pressure on my career." She took a sip of her cocktail and smiled at him from across the table.

"I just want to protect you as much as possible. You mean a lot to me, Violet Watson, and the last thing that I want to do, whether intentionally or not, is to expose you into something that you're not comfortable with." He smiled at her for a moment and sighed, continuing. "It's not going to be easy, being with me..."

She raised her eyebrows, a smirk forming on her lips. "And why is that?"

"Because I can be quite dreadful at times. And ornery!"

She shook her head, appalled at how he believed he was dreadful. "And you think I'm perfect? Trust me, I'm not. I'm stubborn, and prefer to stay at home most nights, and,"

"Then I'll stay at home with you!" He interrupted, winking at her.

Violet shook her head slowly, a smirk tugging on the corners of her lips. "What I'm trying to say, is that no one is perfect, us included. It's not going to be easy period, and not just because it's you."

He chuckled. "I'm up for the challenge. You've intrigued me from the very first day that I laid my eyes on you, and I'm not letting you get away that easy." His eyes grew soft as he began to remember that cold October day on the train.

"You were so cute sitting there on the train, staring at me so helplessly."

"Helplessly!" He exclaimed, gasping heavily. "I wasn't helpless,"

"So why didn't you say anything to me then?" She crossed her arms across her chest lightly, enjoying the task of teasing him relentlessly. "If you weren't so helpless, I mean."

Benedict chuckled and took a sip of water. "Well, Miss Watson, you have me backed into a corner, don't you?" He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and lightly bit the pink, soft flesh. "You made me feel something that I hadn't felt in a very long time, and because of that, I was scared." He watched as she furrowed her eyebrows tightly, her eyes settling on his face, attempting to read his emotions through his demeanor.

Violet hesitated, her mind unable to fully process his words. "I made you feel something, after just looking at me? You didn't know anything about me," How anyone could feel something with just a look was news to her – it was a look. Not a touch, not a date, not a phone call. _A look._

"Violet, I don't expect you to understand, you've never been in love."

She raised her eyebrows, her defensive shield quick to protect her. "Now, I've," She stuttered, shaking her head intently.

"It's okay, Violet, there's nothing wrong with it. You've surrounded yourself in your career; it's something that is quite respectable, if I may say so. But maybe it's time to slowly break down those walls and see what you've been missing for so long."

"Surely you're not saying that you think you're in love with me now, are you?" A deep pit began to form in her stomach as the conversation started turning in a direction she wasn't exactly comfortable with.

"Maybe I am."

She shook her head slowly. "But you hardly know me, it's not logical, is it?" _Surely, it’s not logical…_

He chuckled at her naivety. "Violet, darling. Love isn't logical; it's a feeling deep within your bones that cannot be explained. Caring for someone more than you care for yourself; putting someone else's needs in front of your own; not being able to be apart for someone for more than two minutes without missing them. It's something that has to be grown into, that takes time. I am, slowly but surely, falling for you, and I don't want that to scare you or push you away."

Violet leaned back in her chair, attempting to absorb the information that Benedict had just admitted to her. "Well," She started, clearing her throat, "I prefer honesty, as you're well aware of that, so I appreciate you being so straightforward with your feelings." She did appreciate the honesty, but it was all a bit… much.

"Oh, Violet. That's the only way that this is going to work, is if we're both completely honest with each other. If at some point you don't feel comfortable with something or you want to slow down or I’m coming on too strong... you have to tell me, alright?" His voice was so sincere and lovely that for a moment she forgot that they were in a restaurant surrounded by other patrons.

She smiled at him softly, her eyes growing softer as each second passed. "Alright."

"Alright." He nodded his head slowly, a smile creeping onto his lips, picking up on the tension floating in the air. "Are you done?" He glanced down at her plate and to her empty cocktail glass.

"I am."

"Splendid," He reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. "How about we head back to the hotel and have some... dessert?"

"Dessert?" She repeated, her blue eyes glistening.

He winked at her. "Yes, dessert." He threw more than enough cash on the table and stood up, extending his hand to Violet. "Come, now. I have a busy night ahead of me and I'd like to get it started on a positive note."

She followed him out the door of the restaurant, bringing her hand to his bicep and gripping it tightly. They maneuvered their way through the busy streets carefully, passing steaming food carts and pushing through a never ending crowd of people. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"You, my dear, are one of the most positive things in the world to me right now,"

*****

After a quick stop to the beach per Violet's request, _I just want to feel the water on my toes_ , they finally returned to their hotel room where they warned he only had a few hours before he needed to leave for his hosting duties. He sat down on the couch with a sigh and leaned his head back.

“Violet, love. Come here.”

After she slipped off her sandals, she crossed the room towards him slowly, picking up the hem of her maxi dress. She straddled him on the couch, placing her hands on his chest.

“I know I frightened you with that information.” He dropped his hands to her waist. “And I didn't mean to. I was just trying to be honest about this relationship and let you know where I stand.” He kissed her lips softly and smiled at her. “I have a bad habit of falling for women quite fast; become enamored with them; make myself feel something that’s not really there. But, you make me want to be a better man, as cliché as that sounds. I want to be patient with you, with us, and where this is going; because now that I've found you, I don’t think I could bear losing you. Honestly.”

She slid her hands across his chest slowly, enjoying the rare task of actually being able to lay her hands on him when she wanted. “It is frightening. This whole thing,” Her deep gaze met his, and a smile curled up onto her lips. “Relationships. Dating. Emotions. I don’t know much about it, and I’ll be the first to admit it, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.” She dropped her hands to the placards on his shirt and gripped them tightly. “I always imagined falling for someone who lived in London,”

“I do live in London,” He interrupted her with his wide, contagious smile.

“I meant full time. Now stop interrupting me.” She pulled him to her in one sharp motion, placing a kiss on his lips.

“Yes, yes, I’m sorry. You always imagined falling for someone who lives in London – full time.” He winked at her and wrapped his hands around her lower back, entwining his fingers together.

“And I know that’s going to be difficult, I mean, it’s already difficult. There are times that I feel as if I miss you or just want to hear your voice, and I barely know you.”

“I’m an open book, Violet. For you, I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, even if I really don’t want to admit it, I will.” His eyes sparkled with each chuckle that rolled from his lips. “And it’s not crazy to miss each other, you know. There have been a few times where I've looked over and wished that you were with me, whether it was at lunch or on a plane, or during a break from filming. I enjoy your company. A lot.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and collapsed onto his chest, closing her eyes as her breaths became heavier by the moment. “Can we just stay like this for a while?”

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Absolutely, for as long as you wish, my dear.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies for the delay. enjoy!

**{Chapter Twenty One}**

_Malaysia_

Benedict sauntered into the dark hotel room quietly, his inebriated state causing him to lose his balance as he attempted to shut the door behind him. He chuckled as he attempted to check for the time, as the last thing he wanted to do was to wake Violet, but in all honesty, he couldn't even tell where the hands were on the face of his watch.

Sliding the jacket from his torso, he rummaged through the pockets and took out the small bottle of whiskey before folding the jacket over the back of the chair. Noticing the bed was empty, he tilted his head towards his shoulder, his eyes narrowing, attempting to figure out where Violet was hiding.

_Is this a game?_ He chuckled to himself. _Of course not._ Deciding that he better use the loo before his bladder burst, he made his way into the bathroom, unaware that the lights were on and already lowered, as he didn't feel the need to squint nor shield his eyes from the typical overall brightness.

Unzipping his pants, he leaned one hand onto the tiled wall behind the toilet and sighed deeply, expressing his relief for the emptying of his bladder. Once he lost count of the number of drinks he had managed to squeeze from the bartender, he knew that he was over his limit and didn't want to deal with another morning hungover while his beautiful girlfriend sat peacefully next to him.

He heard something stir to his left - was that water? Surely he was in his hotel room and not on the beach. He glanced around the room, a look of confusion furrowing across his brow as he attempted to locate the source of the noise that continued to plague his mind.

As his gaze fell to the gigantic bathtub in the center of the room, he chuckled at the sight. “I was just, um, I was,” He looked down at his other hand, still attached to his flaccid cock, and back to Violet, soaking in the tub.

She raised her eyebrows and sat up from the water, planting her elbows onto the side of the tub. “Enjoying yourself there?”

Feeling a bit saucy, he cocked an eyebrow and turned his head towards her. “I could be enjoying myself much more,”

“Would you like to find out?”

He chuckled at her tort response. “What do you have in mind? Or would you just rather hold it for me?” Immediately, he knew he was in trouble as the words poured from his lips. He dropped his head and chuckled. _Ah, fuck._

Violet raised her eyebrows sharply at his response. _Well if he wanted to play games..._ Slowly, she stood from the tub, her gaze never once breaking with his.

He watched in awe as the water and bubbles flowed down her body in one single motion, hugging her curves in all the right places. In that moment, he wanted nothing to do but lick her completely dry.

She extended her arm, her right index finger pointing at him directly. “Come here.” She commanded with such a force that he didn't even think about doing anything but.

Continuing to stroke his cock through his open fly, he made his way towards her. His breaths grew heavier with each step he took across the cool tile, anxious to lay his hands on her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You disrupted my bath,” She pouted, running her fingertips against the nape of his neck and up through his hair.

“I did?” He inquired through his squinted eyes, a hint of sorrow in his voice.

She nodded her head slowly. “You did.” She let one hand fall from his head, slowly trickling her fingertips down the front of his shirt and rested on the button of his trousers.

“I’m so sorry,” He leaned over and kissed her, stumbling slightly.

She smirked as she wrapped her hand around his cock. “And how are you going to make it up to me?”

A hiss of air raked through his teeth as she pulled on him, running her thumb over his sensitive head. “Whatever you want,”

She chuckled. “Tell me how you’re going to make it up to me.”

"Mmmm," He dropped his head as the color drained from his face. _The room just wouldn't stop spinning._ "I don't feel so well."

She smiled at him. "Then let's get you to bed."

"I'm sorry," He leaned his forehead against her shoulder with a groan.

Cupping his face with her delicate hands, she leaned in close to his lips. "Go sit on the bed."

He wavered in his steps, unsure of which direction to take, as the room seemed to now have two doors.

Violet took ahold of his shoulders firmly. "Are you going to be sick?"

He began to shake his head but quickly stopped as the motion was becoming too much to handle. "Nope,"

She chuckled. "Go sit on the bed. I'll be there in a minute." She turned him around and pushed him towards the door.

Picking up a towel from the edge of the tub, she wrapped it around her torso lightly and stepped out of the tub. _This definitely was not the way she wanted to end this evening._

She grabbed the small San Pellegrino bottle from the mini-fridge and set it on the table beside the bed. "Let's get you undressed."

He slumped his shoulders as the nausea began to rise from his stomach; _if only he could stop the room from spinning in circles._ "I don't feel so well,"

She kneeled in front of him and began to unbutton his shirt. "We need to get these clothes off you, alright?" She pulled the shirt from his torso and pressed her hand to his forehead, the sweat started to bead at his hairline. "You're going to be sick, aren't you?"

"Mmm," He groaned while attempting to stand up. "Quickly."

Before she had a chance to turn around, his head was inside the toilet and the retching began. She followed him into the bathroom, unsure of how she should handle the situation. Sure, while she was at work, it was easy to take care of sick children; but now she was dealing with a man in his late thirties, drunk from having one too many whiskeys.

She leaned up against the wall beside him. "Do you need anything?"

He grimaced. "You don't have a time machine do you?"

"I have something better," Reaching her bathroom bag on the counter, she dug out a white bottle and took out the small pill. "Are you done yet?"

"Oh, God." _Obviously not._

Once he was finally able to regain a little strength, he stood from the floor and stumbled back onto bed. "Violet," He groaned, attempting to unbutton his trousers. "I might need a little help."

"Just lean back," She chuckled. _Drunk men were always so helpless._ She finally managed to pull the trousers from him, as every time she touched him, he either made a dirty comment or giggled uncontrollably. She grabbed his hands and pulled him back up to where he was sitting in front of her. "Here, take this."

He took the pill as he was told, the San Pellegrino making him giggle. _It's so bubbly!_ He laid down, his head hitting the pillow softly. "You have already made me feel so much better Violet,"

"I'm a doctor," She smiled softly. "Sometimes you have to be able to heal with just the touch of your hands."

He closed his eyes, snuggling his head further into the pillow. "Well you're pretty damn good at it."


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies for the delay... enjoy!

**{Chapter Twenty Two}**

_“All these beautiful flowers; and all I can think about is you.”_ Benedict slid his left hand into the pocket of his grey trousers and bit his bottom lip softly as he awaited Violet's reply. The mere sight of the illuminating bubbles informing him of her response already had his stomach in knots.

Violet read the text on her mobile and chuckled, _how charming he believes he is_. She leaned back in the stiff office chair and unlocked the iPhone, trying not to imagine how adorable he looked while perusing the Chelsea flower show with his mother by his side. _“You’re terrible. Enjoy spending time with your mother, not texting me.”_

Glancing over at his mum, still in conversation with another show patron, he brought his attention back to his phone and leaned up against the tree beside him. _“I cannot wait to see you tonight.”_

The multiple stacks of files laid out in front of her made her sigh in frustration. _“About that…”_

Benedict groaned. _“Please don’t tell me you have to cancel. I was so looking forward to seeing you… naked, preferably.”_

The last thing Violet wanted to do was cancel, but the work in front of her seemed to grow in existence, no matter how hard she tried to put it all behind her. She needed a night away from the hospital, a night to relax with good wine and even better company, making her forget that the world around her even existed. _“I’m trying to get through all this work, trust me.”_

_“I know, darling, I didn’t mean to rush. Take your time, I’m sure it will all work out.”_

"Benedict!"

"Hmm?" He locked his mobile and slid it carefully into his pocket, turning towards the sound of his mother’s voice. "Err, sorry mum, I was just,"

Wanda smirked. "You were just...?"

He turned his head towards her sharply, gripping the back of his neck tightly. "I, was, just sending a text."

"Ah, a text," She raised an eyebrow slowly, taking Benedict's elbow and leading him towards the BrandAlley Garden. "Let me guess... To the gorgeous brunette you took to Malaysia?" She took his silence for an admission of guilt and smiled at him. "Are you seeing her regularly?"

He nodded his head slowly. "Somewhat; when we can, you know. Both of our occupations sort of... control our lives."

"She's a doctor, correct?"

"She is. A paediatric surgeon." He sat down on a bench and motioned for her to sit next to him.

Taking the seat beside him, she clasped her hands together tightly. "And you feel as if that's a good fit for you right now?"

"Absolutely."

"You deserve to be happy, Benedict."

He smiled. "I am happy."

"You've always been happy, my dear." She patted his knee softly. "I meant in your heart. I know you have that drive to be with someone and start a family, but sometimes life has a way of interrupting your wants and steering you towards your true purpose."

Benedict nodded his head slowly, attempting to take in all the advice his mother had to give him - because honestly, he felt as if at this time, he desperately needed it. "I've just never wanted to be with someone so much before. When we're together I can't stop talking because I want her to know everything about me and how I'm feeling and what's going on in my life. I never want her to be in the dark about who I am and what I want.”

Wanda raised her eyebrows inquisitively; obviously her boy had deeper feelings than what she realized. "Well that's a good thing, dear."

"I know, I just," He sighed dramatically.

"You just what, dear? Spit it out!"

He fumbled across his words, finally spitting it out in a rush. "I don't want to push her away and end up losing her."

"Oh, Benedict. You're so much like me that it hurts." She chuckled. "I tell your father everything, you know. Every little thought or idea that pops into my head, I tell him in great detail. I'm a firm believer that when two people can connect in such a way, it secures a deep bond that can never be replaced." She turned towards him and gave him an encouraging smile. "And that can really help a relationship between two people who are extremely busy with their demanding careers."

Benedict nodded his head slowly. "You're right. That bond is quite sacred to a healthy relationship." He smiled at her and stood from the bench. "Now, shall we continue?"

"Absolutely." She stood beside him and gave him a quick hug. "I hope that helped sort things out in that beautiful mind of yours?"

"Of course it did, mum. As always." He squeezed her shoulder lightly.

"The most important question, though, is when am I going to meet her?"

Benedict smirked. "Soon."

*****

Violet stepped from the lift into her flat, taking off her heels and throwing them into the corner. Usually she took a little more care with her precious footwear, but tonight, she was exhausted and just needed them off of her feet as quickly as possible.

“Violet, is that you?” Benedict’s voice floated through the hallway and she smiled - she forgot how good it felt to have someone there when you came home after a long day at work.

She smiled at his naivety and set her bag on the foyer table. “No, it’s not.”

“Oh heavens, then you must be a burglar.”

She chuckled. “And what would you do with a burglar?”

“Tie them up and do whatever I please.” His voice scraped against her skin as his tone grew deeper with each syllable.

Turning her head sharply, she raised an eyebrow as she met his gaze. "Is that all?"

He smiled at her as he leaned up against the wall, a smirk curling onto his lips. "Would you like to find out?"

The warmth slowly took ahold of her core as she stood there watching him, the intensity of his concentration making his eyes change from a beautiful deep green to a cerulean blue and finally to a gold shade of hazel.

"I have a surprise for you." He raised an eyebrow and held out his hand. "Come see."

Taking his hand in hers, a smirk gradually appeared on her lips. "A surprise?"

"I know you're exhausted, and all you want is a nice, relaxing evening... so I thought that I'd try and do something nice for you." He led her carefully through her flat, finally leading her out onto the spacious rooftop space. "I thought an evening under the stars would be exactly what the doctor needed."

In the middle of her rooftop, Benedict had created a bed full of fluffy pillows and warm blankets, illuminated by a dozen or so dimly lit candles. "I thought we could spend the evening staring up at the stars while sipping on some wine that I brought back from Italy." He grabbed the bottle of wine from the small table and held it up, a shaky smile on his lips, terrified that she wouldn't enjoy this night of complete and utter relaxation.

Violet chuckled and pulled him close, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Benedict, this is perfect."

He shook his head curtly and smiled, pouring the wine into the two glasses. "I'm glad that you approve,"

"Of course I do!" She took his hand and pulled him towards the makeshift bed. "Now, come and show me the stars."

Tightening his arm around her shoulders, Benedict pulled Violet closer to him. After a few hours of pointing out his favorite stars and constellations, they were both completely relaxed and wanted nothing more than to just be with each other, enjoy each other's company, listen to their rising heartbeats.

Violet snuggled her head further into his chest and breathed him in, the deep wooded bergamot scent always followed him no matter where he went. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than his attention, his embrace, his kisses. Everything about him she needed, craved, pleaded for.

Is this what love truly felt like? An awareness for someone other than yourself? An urge to break down all walls and give him everything that she had to offer? She wanted to believe that he would never hurt her, but the fear of having her heart broke in such a way made her question everything all over again.

"You're deep in thought," His sleepy voice caught her attention immediately.

"Am I?" She looked up at him and smiled.

He brought his other hand to her head and ran his fingers in between her wavy locks, his fingertips gliding across her scalp with his usual gentle touch. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Pursing her lips tightly, she wanted to decline, but a nagging feeling kept tugging at her heart. "I feel so close to you right now,"

"And how do you feel about that?" His tone was always so genuine, so concerning.

She adjusted herself so she could look at him directly, desperately needing that sense of security he always brought. "I just," She blinked heavily and breathed a deep sigh. "I don't know, honestly. It's nothing bad, I've just never felt so... Open. As if I'm giving you everything, which leaves me quite vulnerable."

"I know, it's difficult, feeling so raw. Trusting someone with your heart, hoping they won't damage or break it. It's the last thing that I want to do to you, Violet. Trust me." He tapped her gently on the nose and smiled at her. “Making good progress, you are.”

She rolled her eyes. “Alright, Yoda.” She cocked an eyebrow and sat up onto her elbow. “Trust is a difficult thing, you know. Giving someone complete control over how they’ll treat you.” She dropped her gaze to her hands. “Why do you think I always kept myself so busy?”

“So you won’t get hurt,” He lifted her chin with index and middle finger gently. His perfectly green eyes stared up at her, sparkling with intent and mischief. “It’s not easy, I know. But I have to admit, you’re making wonderful progress for someone who is so… tender.”

“Tender?” Violet repeated the word with a laugh. “I’ve never been called that before.”

“Yes, you’re quite ferocious. But in this situation… I’d like to believe you are quite tender. I’ll be as careful as I can so I won’t bruise or break you.” He winked at her and leaned over, kissing her.

“I’ll remember that.” She laid her head back on his chest and breathed a deep sigh.

Benedict wrapped his arms around her tightly. “There’s something else I’d like to ask you…” He trailed off anxiously.

“Oh?” Violet closed her eyes and concentrated on the steady thump-thump in his chest.

“How would you like to do dinner next week? With my parents?”

Her eyes shot open, her head remaining still. “Uh…”

“I know, I know,” He began quickly, his thoughts running too quick for his mouth to cooperate. “It’s soon, I’m aware, but I really think you’d hit if off with them, and they with you. You know, something simple, lots of wine, well, there’s always wine. I mean, um, you don’t have to, I just,”

Violet tapped her fingertips against his taut chest. “Benedict, stop. Just stop talking.” She chuckled and looked up at him. “I think it would be a marvelous idea.”

“Really? You’d want to?”

Giving him the sweetest smile he had ever received, her eyes sparkling from the excitement. “There’s nothing else I’d rather do.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> smut warning... definitely nsfw!

**{Chapter Twenty Three}**

Rushing into the venue, Violet quickly turned her mobile on silent and found her seat, praying that she hadn't missed Benedict. This was the first time she had truly seen him at a public event with his fans and peers and was anxious to process that interaction.

The whispers and giggles surrounded her as she got comfortable in the seat. Immediately, she knew that he had yet to perform and was actually nervous at the thought - seeing him up on stage, in his element, reciting the same words that he spoke the previous night.

_"Are you here?"_

She smiled as the text message came through. _"Yes, I just arrived."_

_"Good. I would have hated to start without you."_

_"You wouldn't have known whether I was here or not."_

_"I always know when you're in the room."_

_"Says the man who had to ask if I was here."_

She locked her phone as he came out onto the stage, the same cute smile and sparkling gaze greeted her from earlier in the morning, as she left him peacefully asleep in his bed.

As he started to speak, she completely got lost in his tone and words, which he spoke so eloquently and with so much passion, she almost couldn't believe it was the same man.

_Acting_ , she thought with a smile. But this man... This man, standing on stage with his adorable smirk and button up shirt she had just worn a few nights ago, made her stomach churn with arousal. His voice, his passion, the words. She _needed_ him.

Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, she licked her lips and dropped her sweaty palms onto her dark denim skinny jeans, attempting to transfer the moisture immediately. He was always so passionate, so caring, so truthful. It pained her to think about truly falling for this man, and the heartbreak it was cause if something were to go astray.

_“Come backstage and see me.”_

She shook her head slowly. _“I don’t think that would be a good idea right now…”_

_“Why? It seems like the perfect way to end the day.”_

_“That would only make my problem grow worse.”_

_“Problem?”_

She chuckled. _“Oh, Benedict. You don’t realize the power that your voice has on me.”_ She quickly added, _“And the other women around me.”_

_“Oh heavens.”_

_“My thoughts exactly.”_

_“I’ll meet you at your flat then. Half an hour?”_

_“I thought you were working?”_

_“Finished. My lady has a problem and I intend to fix it.”_

_“I’m timing you…”_

He chuckled. _“On my way!”_

By the time Violet had returned to her flat, the texts from Benedict were clear (and hilarious).

_“Got caught up. Running about 10 minutes late.”_

_“Err, make that 15. Why don’t you start without me?”_

_“Better yet, don’t start without me… That sounds like utter torture.”_

_“To me, of course."_

Shaking her head softly, she sat her handbag and phone on the table in the foyer and made her way upstairs. Even without meaning to, he could make her laugh and smile at just a simple text. The man was such a dork that you couldn't help but to love every single thing that came out of his mouth.

As she made her way towards the master suite, she couldn't help but to think of how far she’d truly gone for this man. Vacations, time off, dinner parties, dates. Those used to be uncalled for, not needed, even if she was dating someone. The love she has for her work never suffered nor grew dim - it only did the opposite.

He made her think, he made her want to do better things, he made her want to become a better person. More outgoing, more loving, take more time for herself. He made her see the good that was inside her all along.

*****

Hearing the shower run from behind the bathroom door only made him want her more, if that was even possible. Opening the door to the master bath as quietly as possible, Benedict stepped through the doorway, where immediately he was met with the silhouette of her wet, naked body.

A deep sigh fell from his lips as he stood at the glass encased shower. Her dark locks fell down her back, gently rippling with the steady stream from the multiple rain shower heads, slowly falling across the small of her back and down the heavy curve of her ass.

The steam surrounded her body in a menacing way, making his cock twitch unexpectedly. He wrapped his hand around it and began to stroke gently, teasing himself with her body being so close, yet still out of reach.

Everything about her made him mad - from the way she innocently shook her ass as she bent over, to the way she scrunched her nose while playing coy, to the way she stretched her arms as she woke up. In one swift move, he gripped the metal handle on the shower door and opened it, stepping into the warm, humid environment.

“Benedict!” She exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her waist, startling her.

“Who else would it be? The butler?” His words and tone were grimaced as he held onto her hips firmly.

Violet cocked an eyebrow. “Well, who do you want to be?” She turned to face him after the silence defined his answer. “As in, who do you want to be while fucking me?”

The breath escaped his lungs as her tone practically drew blood from the bite. “I,” He trailed off, his gaze following the trail of water flowing from the tips of her dark locks down her ass in one smooth motion.

She pressed her palms against the glass in front of her. “Benedict,” She moaned his name in such a way, he couldn't wait one more second without being inside of her.

“Is this what you want,” His cock rubbed against her folds in a teasing manner, in which she bucked her hips towards it expectantly.

“Yes,” She panted, the tip of his cock grazing her once again.

“Yes what?” His tone was deep and dark as he trailed his right hand up her spine, finally settling at the base of her skull, where he wrapped his fingers around her hair tightly.

“Yes please,” She grimaced at the snug pull that whipped her neck back swiftly.

“Good girl,” He gripped his left hand against her hip as he pressed inside her quickly, not wanting to take things nice and slow, but rather hard and wet.

His deep thrusts kept her on her toes, never once backing down when he smacked her ass a little too hard or pulled her hair in a desperate attempt at more. His fingers kept twisting the strands deeper and deeper until his fingernails were digging into her scalp.

“Oh, fuck,” She moaned, the simple, pained actions making her arousal continue to pool. “Harder.”

He gripped her hip tighter, his fingertips digging into her skin. His thrusts continued, harder, faster, erratically as she continued to plead for more.

Feeling her walls begin to tighten, she brought one hand from the glass wall and brought it quickly to her clit, needing to be pushed closer to that edge of ecstasy.

As his thrusts became more powerful, she moaned his name as the wave of her orgasm coursed through her veins. Her walls continued to spasm around his cock, urging him to come with her, to share that moment of pure arousal and desire.

He breathed heavily as he came inside her, slowly releasing his grip from her hair. “Now that is how I intend to take care of all your problems,”

*****

"So... I have some good news and bad news." Benedict cocked an eyebrow as he took a sip of wine, obviously trying to act as serious as possible.

"Taking me to a crowded restaurant to reveal bad news? Oh Benedict," Violet leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms across her chest tightly.

He chuckled. "Fortunately, I've been suddenly cast in a movie, and will be filming in Boston for 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately, I'll be gone for both your birthday and mine."

She gasped dramatically. "You're going to miss my birthday?!" She clasped her hand across her heart. "I don't know how I'm ever going to live."

He narrowed his eyes playfully. "I know that we have already made plans, so I'm terribly sorry I'll have to cancel, but I've already planned a surprise to make up for it."

She scrunched her nose. "I hate surprises."

"I know you do. But trust me, it will be amazing," He smiled widely at her, repeating the words, “Trust me,” In a fashion she wasn't sure if she should really do so or not.

She smiled at him. "Alright, alright, I believe you."

"I can fly you out… if you'd be interested."

She raised her brows. "To Boston?"

"Well, it's not Colmar, but I think it would make do for a nice, romantic weekend. Don’t you think?"

She sighed. "If you say so."

"I'm sorry, love." This time, his words were a little more genuine, which hit her in all the right spots.

Shrugging casually, a smirk found its way to her lips. "It's alright, it's just a birthday. Hopefully I'll have another."


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the parents...

**{Chapter Twenty Four}**

"Aren't you nervous?!" Benedict inquired, tapping his fingertips against his thigh.

Violet turned to face him, her brows furrowing together tightly. "No. Should I be?"

"I am!" He wiped his palms against his grey trousers and shook his head, hoping that the steady “thump-thump” in his chest would just slow down.

"Obviously!" She chuckled and took hold of his hand. “Stop fretting, Benedict. Is there something I should know?”

“No, it’s just,” He shook his head slowly, furrowing his brows. “I’m just quite close with my parents,”

“I’m aware. You’re as close to them as they are to you. You three enjoy each other, what’s so wrong with that?”

He smiled at her softly, enjoying the way her soft and delicate features radiated through the dark car. “Absolutely nothing.” He squeezed her hand and the nervousness subsided, the feel of her skin against his always seemed to make everything so much more tolerable.

*****

Violet sat back in her chair, watching the close family of three enjoy their stories about one another, embarrassing or not. Benedict would exclaim, _“Oh, please, mother, not that one!”_ and everyone seemed to want to hear it that much more. He was right - they were very close, and knew practically everything about each other.

It was a bit of a shock, coming into a group where everyone knew each other and knew exactly what to say, while Violet sat back and enjoyed hearing new - and different - things about the man she was falling for. They were all so lovely and nice, it was difficult to find a fault or persuade herself that she didn't deserve to be there. It became obvious that this man loves her, and only wants to share his life with her.

And how could she say no to that?

“I have to admit, Violet, I was quite intimidated when Benedict told me that you’re a doctor. We’re all just a bunch of silly actors, while you’re out there saving lives!” Wanda chuckled. “Of children, nonetheless.”

“Intimidated?” Violet repeated the word slowly, shaking her head with apologies. “Please, no. Nothing anyone does with such a deep passion is silly.”

“May I ask how you chose paediatrics?” Wanda clasped her hands together tightly.

Violet smiled at her. “I come from a very large family, so by the time I came along, my mother had her hands full with my other siblings. Apparently, I was a very fussy child, and the only person who I really wanted to be with was my father. I hated all the noise at my house, so since my father is a heart surgeon, we would go to the only place that seemed natural: the hospital. I grew up there, watching him perform surgeries, learning symptoms and diseases, inspecting xrays. It was only natural that I chose surgery, because I know how much it can help people, as I’ve seen it since I was a child. Children are just… they’re amazingly resilient creatures, and I love them. They’re always so tough, and never willing to give up. They have smiles on their faces at all times, regardless of what they’re going through. It was where I belonged.”

“You, my dear, are a very special person. Not many could do what you do.”

Violet nodded her head slowly. “Some days are more difficult than others, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Wanda looked over at Benedict and smiled. “And you’re okay with him being gone a lot? While filming, doing press?”

“Completely. It’s his job, because when I have to go places, or cancel dinners, or receive phone calls at one in the morning, I’m going to have to ask the same thing of him. It’s my job, it’s what I do, it’s what I love. I wouldn’t be who I am without it.”

Timothy looked over at Benedict and smiled. “I think you’ve found a good one.”

Benedict smiled widely, his eyes sparkling with a sense of mischief. “Good? She’s the best. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.”

*****

_June 24, 1:17am_

Glitter and confetti rained from the ceiling as the large group of people continued to gather around the sparkling cake, filled with burning candles. Andrew held onto Violet’s waist tightly, their inebriated state causing them to lose focus on the task at hand: blowing out her birthday candles after a loud and off key version of “happy birthday” was sung.

The voices dropped and the light grew dim as she looked around the crowded room, full of family and friends, celebrating another year older (and hopefully wiser). She smiled as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks: these people loved her and wanted to celebrate this magical night with her, regardless of the fact that they would all have to head into work not 6 hours from now.

As she leaned her head onto Landon’s shoulder, she breathed deeply, the anticipation rising in her chest as he turned towards her. “It’s take to make your wish, Violet!”

“Ah, but my wish won’t come true this year.” She kissed him softly on the cheek and leaned towards the cake, watching as the candles continued to burn with a vengeance.

Slowly, one by one, the candles were blown out and another drunken cheer erupted from the group. The only thing she wanted for her birthday, she knew she couldn’t have, and as much as she tried to push the knot out of her throat and the pit from her stomach, she ached to be with Benedict. She tried to force that smile that proved she was happy and full of life, but those close to her knew that it was nearly impossible.

Thankfully, Andrew and Landon continued to snap photos as the night went on and the booze continued to flow. They wanted to be able to remember this night in actual evidence rather than their vague memories and intoxicated state, as it would be impossible to do so from the latter.

Violet wasn’t upset at Benedict for not being able to be there, she knew it wasn’t his fault, it was his job, his occupation. There was no use in crying over spilled milk - it was done, there was nothing anyone could do about it, and all that could be done was to clean it up and continue with their lives.

Birthdays and anniversaries and celebrations would have to continue, regardless if he was there or not. His presence was certainly missed, but at least she understood, and wanted him to be happy. She didn’t ask him not to go, or to come home, or to beg to see him. She wanted him to lead his own life, rather than focus on her, as the last thing she wanted to do was to become a burden to his career.

Although, at this present moment, while celebrating another year older, she wanted him - needed him - and in her drunken state, would have begged for him if Andrew would’ve let her have her phone as she requested. It was then when she realized that she, Violet Watson, was finally in love with a man who was equally in love with her.

*****

“What are you thinking about, love?”

Violet turned towards Andrew, laying a hand on the table gently to steady herself from the too quick movement. “Oh, it’s nothing.” She took a sip of her mimosa and silently prayed that it would reduce the pounding in her head and reminded herself to never ever drink that much tequila ever again.

Andrew chuckled. “I know something is turning inside that head of yours, Watson.”

“I’m getting too attached to him,” She revealed quietly, the mere action of letting someone else into her head a startling action.

“I know you are.”

“And,” She breathed a deep sigh. “I want him here. Celebrating with us, drinking champagne, eating cake. It’s silly, isn’t it?”

Andrew chuckled and laid his head on her shoulder. “Oh, Violet. It’s not silly.” He took ahold of her hand tightly. “It’s because you care about him. And trust me, if he could’ve been here, he would have.”

“It makes me nervous.”

“Nervous? How?”

Violet shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “There’s a lot of little moments in life, you know? Birthdays, anniversaries. Things that are meant to celebrated together will instead be celebrated by one, because their significant other will be halfway around the world.”

“I know that this is new for you, love, and it’s difficult. He’s really beginning to take off, and he’ll be all over the place, while you’ll be here, alone. But trust me when I tell you that he will do whatever he possibly can to make sure that you’re happy and taken care of. He might not be here for your exact birthday, but he’ll completely make it up to you in a way that will take your breath away.”

Violet smiled at him.

“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

She shrugged her shoulders, a light blush painted her cheeks softly. “I am.”


	25. the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thank you for your continued support! i am sad to say that this is the final chapter for serendipity, but i do have more planned... and i have to admit, i secretly love the characters of violet and benedict together! <3

{Chapter 25}

"Happy Birthday, love." Benedict pulled violet close as he slid into her bed, a wide smile curling up on his perfectly plump lips. 

Violet chuckled. "You're a few weeks late, Benedict, but I appreciate the afterthought." She rolled over and wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his usual scent of deodorant and cologne on top of the travel scent he always seemed to carry.

"I've missed you, love." He kissed her lips quickly and pulled his head back, examining her face carefully, studying her bare face with a desperate attempt to remember everything about her. 

"And I missed you," She whispered the words softly, her eyes sparkling into his excitedly. "I'm glad that you're here... even if it is close to three in the morning." 

“Yes, well, I figured you wouldn’t mind it as long as I gave you one of your birthday gifts…” He mumbled, flicking the blanket to their feet with a simple flick of his wrist. 

Rising from the head of the bed, he crawled over her, sweeping her brunette locks from her back gently. He drug his lips across the nape of her neck, leaving soft kisses and nips down her bare back. 

His lips hovered over each kiss delicately, his morning scruff dragging against her skin. A moan fell from her lips as he reached the small of her back, his fingers gliding down her spine and settling on her hips. He bunched the soft material of her panties through his fingers and she lifted her hips, allowing him to pull the remaining fabric from her body. 

"Such a glorious sight," He murmured against the taut flesh of her ass, biting the supple skin lightly. Leaning back into his heels, he watched her intently as she laid in front of him, the urge to touch her, kiss her, lick every inch of her growing heavier with each passing second. He brought his hands back to her thighs, gripping the muscle tightly, and pulled her legs apart, his fingertips lightly grazing her center. 

She rolled her hips with his touch, aching for more of him as the seconds grew longer. She splayed her palms across the blanket, continuing to grow restless at the lack of touch she was receiving. 

"And so eager," He pressed his left hand against her hip, his right hand dipping into her warm, pink center. She let out a relieved moan as his middle finger slid into her folds, curling his fingertip to hit that sweet, sensitive spot. 

"Turn over," His voice raked against her spine as he commanded her actions, growing deeper with lust as he felt her sweet, sweet spot. He needed to watch her, to see her face, to study her reactions.

Quickly, she turned over underneath him, groaning when he removed his finger. She grasped the v-neck of his black t-shirt and pulled him towards her, bringing her lips to his in a passionate movement. 

In one smooth motion, he slid his index and middle finger back into her slick arousal with his lips still attached to hers. A snarky smile spread against his lips as she leaned her head back and moaned, his fingers hitting that bundle of nerves that drove her wild. She bucked her hips towards him, aching for more friction between the two… She just needed more.

"Right there?" He knew the answer immediately as his fingertips pressed against the sensitive spot once again, this time firmer than before, in an effort to push her further than she had been before. 

She clutched the front of his shirt tightly, grabbing fistfuls of fabric as he brought his thumb to her clit. "Oh fuck," She let her eyelids fall as it just felt so damn good. 

He chuckled as she demanded more, please, I need more. He slid a third finger into her dripping wet center, his thumb now beginning to work furiously, wanting to push her over the edge. His free hand, laying gently beside her head, slid to her scalp and wrapped her wavy locks around his fingers tightly, giving her that edge that she needed.

He knew she was growing close as her legs began to tremble against his waist and he leaned down to her ear, gently nibbling at her lobe, his scruff tickling her in a desperate attempt. His motions quickened as her breaths became heavier, her hands grasping his shirt tightly. 

He gripped her tendrils even tighter, pulling her even closer to his lips. "I need you to come, love, do you understand me?" He smiled against her skin as he felt her walls tighten around his fingers and a breath of air hissed from between her lips. He continued his slow ministrations as her walls continued to spasm around him.

“Happy Birthday to me,”

*

"So, I was thinking," Benedict took a bite of his freshly scrambled eggs and smiled at Violet, sitting across from him at the dining room table. "I wanted to take you away for your birthday." 

"Mmm, is that so?" Violet responded, taking a sip of her mimosa and smiling at him, instantly recognizing the plans he had been dreaming of for so long.

"I was thinking... New Zealand? And then, I remembered, we've both been there, so that would kind of take away the exotic surprise, wouldn't it?" 

She couldn’t help but to smile at his incessant wiggling eyebrows. “I guess not.” 

“And then I thought… what about Los Angeles? But quickly regretted that decision as I began to think about it.” He winked at her before quickly continuing. “So, I took a map, planted my finger somewhere, and decided… that would be the place!” 

“Honestly, Benedict…” 

“I’m serious!” He defended his choice adamantly. “Too bad you won’t find out where we’re going until we get there…” 

*

Belize

As Violet stood on the deck of the small, rustic hut nestled in the ocean, she couldn’t help but to close her eyes, letting the fresh air whip against her face and breathe in the salty crisp breeze of Belize. 

Between the crystal clear water and white sandy beaches, it was everything she had expected and even more. There was a sense of calm, of purpose, of absolute delight. 

Almost as if magically, Benedict appeared beside her, his hands gripping the wooden support rails tightly. He glanced at her, relishing in the deep smile that spread onto her lips, and he just knew that if her eyes would open, they would be sparkling ferociously. “I love you, Violet Watson.” 

Opening her eyes slowly, she she turned towards him, her brunette curls whipping with each cut of the wind. She smiled softly and replied, finally, “And I love you, Benedict Cumberbatch.” 

“There’s no one else I want to be with in this world, other than you. You know that, right? That out of everyone on this bloody planet, it’s you who I want in my arms. It’s you who I want to wake up to. It’s YOU, and it has always been you.” 

She felt strongly as tears began to invade her eyes, her mind spinning of what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it. The last thing she wanted was to make him feel as if she didn’t want to be with him - which she had the tendency to do with being so quiet and so into her mind. 

Instead, she smiled and pressed her palms against his chest tightly. "I don't know if I'm ready for this or not, to be completely honest. And the reason is too selfish to admit… I'm scared of being with someone who I've fallen for deeply, and hardly ever seeing them. I'm going to need more of you, Benedict, and I'm afraid I'll just receive the opposite." 

Benedict cupped her face in his hands and smiled at her. "Violet, love. I can't promise you that, which you're well aware of, but I can promise you that I'll never be more than a phone call away. You can come and visit while I'm away filming; there's always facetime and skype; phone calls; emails and texts. I know it's going to be difficult, Violet, and I'm sorry for that. But we can make it work, I know that we can. So, what do you say, love? Are you willing to stick around?" 

Finally, with one last sigh, she smiled softly and looked up at him. “I’d follow you to the moon, Cumberbatch.” 

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you again!


End file.
